Several fitness lovers are giving it a shot at track and field, especially marathon. Such is the story of Josef Šálek of the Czech Republic, who pulled off the longest plank ever in history. The fitness coach, lecturer, and therapist never fail to push his limits. “Five years ago, I was 15 kilos (33 lb) overweight, I used to be fond of alcohol and cigarettes”, said he who looked past unhealthy habits to embrace a life to inspire others.

Due to a case of mistaken identity, Joska was caught at the UAE airport and sent to prison for four months. Since then, sports kept him busy besides sticking to a strict routine. Now, as he achieved one of the greatest feats, the world rallies in support.

The world has a new unique half marathon record-breaker

Runner’s World took to its Instagram to post, “Josef Šálek of Czechia ran 1:50:42 in freezing temperatures, wearing nothing but a pair of shorts and an ecstatic grin”. He didn’t only awe-inspired the global crowd, but also secured his name in the Guinness Book of Records. But when did the fitness coach transition to running? In 2017, when a breakup, smoking, and alcohol consumption grasped him completely, he wanted to make running a medium to vent. With time, he mastered his skills and currently stands with two world records.

In 2023, the new marathon icon held a plank for 9 hr. 38 min. 47 sec, thus making a world record in that as well. “I knew that in my case it’s not about demanding physical training, but rather about mastering the process… about my mindset”, said the ever-determined soul. But running on ice could have some unpleasant consequences that fans couldn’t overlook.

Fans were left divided after Joska’s achievement

One fan was not very content with this stunt, thus commenting, “This is not a very good record, to be honest. It can be easily broken by at least 15 to 20 minutes”. Another fan dropped in to show concern, writing, “I hope he didn’t get frostbite”. Extracting slight fun out of it, one Instagram user said, “The whole time this man had to have been high-stepping like “COLD COLD COLD COLD”. 

“A record I have 0 desire in trying to break”, said a user who didn’t want to put his life at stake. To add more, another one struggled to figure out the point of the race. “What in the Santa Claus”. Although the world is in splits, it still puts into focus that pain can forge a man.

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