A 61-year-old Canadian grandmother of 12 held an abdominal plank for five hours in Utah, beating her own world record by nearly half an hour as Guinness reviews the mark.
Fox News reported that DonnaJean Wilde locked into the position at 3:03 p.m. on Oct. 4 and held it until 8:03 p.m. at the Huntsman World Senior Games.
The five-hour effort topped her previous record of 4 hours, 30 minutes and 11 seconds. That earlier mark came on March 21, 2004, at the Canadian high school where she once served as vice principal.
Wilde is 61 and has 12 grandchildren. The new time is pending review and approval by Guinness World Records.
Guinness sets clear rules for the abdominal plank record. The challenger’s forearms and toes must stay on the ground the entire time. The rest of the body stays lifted and straight.
"To successfully achieve the record, the challenger’s forearms and toes must touch the ground at all times," Guinness states. "The remainder of the body must be lifted off the ground and be kept straight throughout."
Several judges worked rotating shifts during Wilde’s attempt so the form could be watched without a break. A World Senior Games spokesperson confirmed the rotating coverage to Storyful, whose reporting Fox News used.
Wilde did not start planking as a record chase. She added it after breaking her wrist, when the exercise still worked in a cast. The habit stuck for a practical reason.
"I realized that I could read and do things when I was planking and fell in love with it," Wilde said.
She has described the grind in plain terms. After the earlier record she said her elbows hurt pretty bad. She also said she worried so much about losing form that the tension left her quads sore.
On the five-hour attempt, the opening stretch felt manageable. The finish did not.
"The last hour was the most challenging, just to stay focused and keep my form," she said. The first two hours "went by quickly." In the final 30 minutes she focused on "breathing, staying calm and not shaking."
Her advice to anyone who wants the same discipline is simple and direct.
"Keep trying and keep practicing. When you have to read or work on your computer, just get on the floor and do it on the floor."
No shortcuts. No special gear. Just time on the floor and the decision to stay there.
Personal grit still beats excuses. Wilde put in the hours, kept her form, and let the clock do the talking.
