At 61, She Set a Five-Hour Plank Record

DonnaJean Wilde, 61, surpassed her own Guinness World Record at the 2026 Huntsman World Senior Games. She started her plank at 3 p.m. on October 6 and remained in position until the opening ceremony began at 8 p.m. More than 12,000 senior athletes entered the arena as dancers and musicians prepared nearby. Her five-hour finish improved on her earlier record of 4 hours, 30 minutes and 11 seconds.

The achievement followed about 15 years of daily practice and an intensive eight-week preparation period. Planking first became part of Wilde’s routine after she broke her wrist and could not run or use weights for several weeks. Because she could hold a plank while wearing a cast, she practiced for a few minutes each day and gradually extended her time. Before the latest attempt, she adjusted her sleep schedule with her husband, going to bed around 9PM and beginning four-hour training sessions at 2 a.m.

Her family encouraged her to seek a Guinness World Record in 2023, and she earned her first one in March 2024. That September, she completed 1,575 push-ups within an hour, another women’s world record. Wilde also wrote From Minutes To Hours: I Wrote This Book While Planking and recorded its audiobook while holding the position.

Wilde remained active after the five-hour effort, running a 3000m race the following morning. The games featured 40 events, including swimming, cycling, disc golf and square dance. She also watched a 100-year old woman enter her first track meet and finish the 50m and 400m races. For Wilde, meaningful goals, enjoyable movement and shared enthusiasm have supported continued athletic progress through her 50s and 60s.