There’s a phrase we live by in our family: “We were made to do hard things.” It’s carried us through mountain hikes, math meltdowns, and the beautiful chaos of raising six kids. But this year, that mantra led five moms (and 19 kids!) to an absurdly painful triumph: the GUINNESS WORLD RECORDS® title for farthest distance walked barefoot on LEGO® bricks in a relay.
Why LEGOs? (And Why Voluntarily?!)
Let’s be honest—parenthood trains you for this. Who among us hasn’t yelped after stepping on a stray brick mid-night feeding or while sprinting to save burning cookies? With 200+ pounds of LEGOs® between us and 760 collective weeks of pregnancy under our belts, we figured: How much worse could it be?
Spoiler: Much worse.
The Grueling Road to Record-Breaking
This wasn’t some backyard stunt. GUINNESS WORLD RECORDS® demands rigor. Our eight-month prep included:
- Engineering a Brutal Track: My dad built a 10-meter plywood runway framed by 2x4s, professionally surveyed for exact measurements.
- Medical Vetting: An EMT and doctor inspected our feet pre-attempt—no protective coatings allowed!
- The LEGO® Gauntlet: 200 pounds of bricks poured 2-3 layers deep (enough to “fully support a foot,” per rules).
- Hurricane Hurdles: We rescheduled twice as a literal storm loomed.
On October 10, our team—Ashley, Savanna, Grace, Cat, and I—assembled at dawn. With three official witnesses, a pump-up 80s playlist, and 48 muffins fueling the crew (kids included!), we faced the plastic abyss.
The Agony & the Audacity
The Rules:
- One-hour relay
- Bare feet only (no calluses spared!)
- Minimum 1 km (20 laps/person) to qualify
The Reality:
- Lap 1-10: “This feels… manageable? Like a mild rug burn.”
- Lap 50: Feet raw, pace slowing. Why did we think this was fun?!
- Lap 100: Savanna’s feet bleeding. Kids scrambled as “pit crew,” tossing escaped bricks back onto the track.
- Final Tally: 328 laps—over 2 miles—in 60 minutes.
As the stopwatch beeped, we crumpled onto grass, feet throbbing. The kids high-fived us; the dads passed ice packs. No tears—just stunned laughter.
Why Put Ourselves Through This?
Beyond the glory? To prove that moms are forces of nature. We birth humans, manage households, and still choose this. The kids watched us push through searing pain with grit and giggles—a lesson no textbook teaches.
Your Burning Questions, Answered
- “Did it hurt?” Imagine chewing glass while standing on hot coals. Yes.
- “Would you do it again?” Ask our bandaged feet. (But also… maybe?)
- “Proof?” See our hobbit-feet aftermath here!
The Sweet Taste of Victory (and Iced Feet)
Hours later, GUINNESS confirmed: We’d smashed the record. As we iced our battle wounds, the kids debated which parent should attempt “most spoons balanced on a face” next. (Hard pass.)
