"Call them crazy, but there's a group of very special people who have something you probably don't: a spot in the Guinness Book of World Records."
Now, although I've reached the heights of achieving multiple lofty goals, sunken in the valleys of committing repeated heinous social blunders; never have I been graced with the wreath of a world record. But Paul has.
Paul is a guy with multi-faceted talents. He's creative: he once helped to orchestrate an amazing sight, walking through nightime woods whipping a glow stick around with which the end had been cut off. We wandered through the blackness where a tunnel of soft illumination decorated trees, shrubs, and the floor of the woods in a stunning visual treat. Paul is also smart: he sells software. Paul also is a skilled footbag enthusiast. Let's let him explain how it works:
The actual footbag (aka Hacky Sack) record is called “10-minute timed one-pass.”
You get 10 minutes to get as many kicks, back and forth, as you can. (To break this record, you can’t take two kicks in a row; neither can the bag touch you above the waist). To be a world record, it must be “drop-less.” I.e. you can’t drop it, and pick it up, and keep going. Further, even if you surpassed the record in less then 10 minutes without dropping, then dropped before the 10 minutes were completed, the record would not be recognized. You only get two attempts at a World Footbag Association event (the sanctioning organization for the sport.) These are the same guidelines that Guinness World Records requires we follow.
In 90 degree heat on a concret surface the attempt began. About 7 minutes in, they dropped. Well, now it was time for the second - and final - attempt. At about 4 minutes into it,
No way! How could that have happened? Since they were already set up, they decided to start again and then appeal to the powers that be that a third attempt was justified due to interference. Although there a few bobbles, at the ten minute mark the unofficial count was 1,414 - handily beating the former record of 1,327!
They were granted the exception, and through an unofficial confirmation from Guinness were informed that they would obtain the record. In a few weeks, an official certificate will come to validate the confirmation.
Very cool!
