Double Dribble Into the Record Book

Posted on Jan. 14, 2021

The first time Dylan Sorensen attempted to break the world record, three people saw it: the timer, the videographer and an audience of one. Well, that isn’t exactly true. Since then, about 100,000 people have watched the video posted on Twitter.

It’s the kind of quirky stunt that goes viral. Some dude dribbling a basketball around a track really fast for a mile. Enough people had tried this peculiar feat of multitasking that a world-record time had been established. Sorensen — unaware such a quest existed until a friend mentioned it two weeks earlier — was certain he could break it. He had unwittingly been training for this moment his whole life.

Born in Indiana, America’s cradle of basketball, Sorensen took his first steps to drop a ball into a toy hoop. His first words were “shoot the ball.” He played point guard at Zionsville High School, where he was a role player who shined brightest in the wind sprints during practice. By that time, Sorensen already knew that his future was out on the track. He was the state runner-up at 1,600 meters while at Zionsville, a conference steeplechase champion at Georgetown and a professional triathlete before becoming an assistant track coach at UNC.

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“Two of my greatest passions in life are basketball and track and field,” he said. “I knew this run would be a challenge, but growth comes when we push ourselves outside of our comfort zone.”

Sorensen chose to attempt the record on May 15, his 30th birthday, as an affirmation of youth. With UNC’s athletics facilities closed because of the pandemic, the run took place on the asphalt track at McDougle Middle School in Chapel Hill. Motivated by ESPN’s airing of The Last Dance documentary, Sorensen wore the Tar Heel jersey of Michael Jordan ’86.

When he toed the starting line that day, Sorensen had never run a mile while dribbling a basketball. Except during a few training reps the week before, he hadn’t dribbled at all for nearly a year. He preferred to visualize the challenge as one very long fast break.

After posting an efficient 68 seconds on his opening lap, the only remaining pitfalls were some fickle bounces off the cracks in the asphalt and a sudden detour on the third lap to avoid a toddler learning to ride her bike in lane 1. Sorensen still finished in 4:37 to break the record by 15 seconds. “I just kind of did it for fun,” he said. “I didn’t realize anybody was going to care about it … and then it blew up.”(

Sorensen’s story surfaced everywhere from CNN and USA Today to a Uruguayan runner’s blog. It was a feat so intriguing that author Malcolm Gladwell replied to Sorensen’s tweeted video by posting the question: Could any NBA player beat this?

None has yet, but within months the record was broken twice by other runners, sparking Sorensen to ponder a double dribble. “I felt confident that I could break the record again,” he said, “but I needed a purpose for why.”

As the son of a single mother, brother of five sisters and coach of 17 female athletes, Sorensen’s why proved obvious. “I have seen women fight my entire life, and to be honest, it wasn’t as hard for me to get what I wanted as it was for them,” he said. “This is a big reason why I am who I am.”

He decided to turn his next record attempt into a fundraiser for FORevHER Tar Heels, a Rams Club program that benefits UNC’s female athletes. On Nov. 17, wearing the same Jordan jersey and running at UNC’s home track, Sorensen drew dozens of friends, colleagues and some local media to watch. Hyped by the increased attention, Sorensen dribbled his opening lap in a blistering 60 seconds. “I could tell I’d overextended myself so I was doing damage control after that,” he said. “On the last lap I kept muttering under my breath, ‘FORevHer, FORevHer, FORevHer,’ which reminded me of my greater purpose and helped me to not think about how I was aerobically in distress. I knew the time was going to be close.” Kicking and leaning through the finish line, Sorensen broke the record by a mere .02 of a second.

Moments later, he was circled by several of his female track athletes. “Ladies, thank you very much,” Sorensen told them, still catching his breath. “First, I can’t ever get mad at you for going out too fast because I just did it myself. And I hope I made you proud because you inspired me. Today was for you and future yous.”

Guinness World Records wasn’t consulted for Sorensen’s attempt. His feat was monitored through social media, with video as proof, and the running community acknowledges it.

— Tim Crothers ’86

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