5-Man Caterpillar Sets World Record at Indianapolis Half

When Zachary Davenport got a text at 5 a.m. asking if he wanted to break a world record, he said yes and went back to sleep. Little did the University of Indianapolis photographer know that responding to that message would turn him into a small celebrity running through downtown Indianapolis.

Davenport and four friends recently set a Guinness World Record for the fastest half-marathon run in a five-person caterpillar costume. Their time of 1 hour, 31 minutes and 50 seconds shattered the previous record at the 500 Festival Mini-Marathon.

The idea came from team leader Zach Burton, who saw someone fail the attempt on Instagram. He texted the group, and everyone agreed without knowing what they were getting into. Their costume choice was purely practical: it was the cheapest five-person option on Amazon at $50.

The team had almost no practice before race day. Their first time wearing the costume together was the morning of the marathon. They had previously set a record in a four-person costume, but the five-person version brought new challenges.

Davenport occupied the middle position, which he calls the worst spot in the caterpillar. He had the weight of two runners pulling on him at all times, either dragging him forward or pulling him down. The front runner set the pace while the back followed, but the middle held everything together.

Why This Inspires

What makes this story remarkable is how little the costume slowed them down. Davenport's fastest half-marathon from his college running days was 1 hour and 24 minutes, meaning the caterpillar only cost them about eight minutes.

The secret? Running as a team made the grueling distance feel like fun instead of a mental battle. While solo runners fight their own thoughts and pace themselves carefully, the caterpillar crew turned 13.1 miles into an ongoing joke.

All 35,000 race participants and spectators lining the entire course noticed them. People kept shouting that they'd seen the team on Instagram and the news. At the finish line, the caterpillar had stretched into a horseshoe shape from the varying speeds, and Davenport nearly collapsed crossing the line.

The team is now working on a full documentary about their journey, complete with interviews and footage from their training. But true to form, the whole project maintains their lighthearted spirit. Some weeks during training, Davenport ran only five miles compared to the 90 miles per week he logged in college.

As for what's next, the answer is simple: retirement. Coordinating five people for marketing events and news coverage took more effort than anyone expected. Davenport admits he was late to every single event by 15 to 45 minutes.

Sometimes the best achievements come from saying yes to a crazy idea and having fun along the way.