Whidbey Island’s Michael McCastle beat the Guinness world record for most pullups in a 24-hour period early Sunday morning, according to a press release issued this morning.
McCastle completed 5,804 pullups in just shy of 24 hours. He upped the ante by wearing a 30-pound pack on his back to raise awareness for soldiers with injuries. He made his first attempt late last year, but was hospitalized before he could complete the challenge.
Weighed down with the pack, which represents the burden of the wounded warrior, McCastle will attempt to break the Guiness world record of 5,801 pullups in a 24-hour period which was achieved by John Bocek in Arlington, Va., in May.
McCastle was in recovery immediately after besting the record and was unavailable for comment, according to the press release.
The Las Vegas native raised more than $10,000 for the Wounded Warrior Project last year for his first attempt during which he completed 3,202 pullups before having to be hospitalized. This time, McCastle raised $150 for Operation Enduring Warrior, a veteran-operated non-profit organization that assists wounded service members.
McCastle’s first attempt came after he severely injured his ACL which required physical therapy. Since his lower body was struggling, he said he decided a pullup challenge would help him feel strong through a difficult period.
“That’s why the pull-ups are so personal for me,” McCastle said earlier this month. “I was at a really low point, and it’s what made me set the goal in the first place. It got me up training every morning and I stopped feeling sorry for myself. You can fail and still come back stronger to succeed. And the event aims to bring awareness to those who struggle with mental or physical injuries.”
In December, McCastle completed a world-record-setting 13-mile 250-pound tire flip, again for the Wounded Warrior Project. McCastle flipped the tire 137 spans along a 500-foot paved street over the course of 10 grueling hours and raised more than $700 for the Wounded Warrior Project.
In May, McCastle climbed a 20-foot rope a total of 29,029 feet – the height of Mount Everest. That fundraiser collected nearly $2,000 for the Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson’s Research, a cause that hit close to home following the death of his father who suffered from the disease.
McCastle’s feats are performed under the umbrella of his “Twelve Labors Project,” an effort based on the mythology of Hercules with the intention of inspiring people to challenge themselves and give to others, according to the press release.
