Age: 26

Address: Albert Lea

Livelihood: cook

Family: Mom; Dad; two brothers; fiancée, Mercedes; two children, Aden and Aries

Interesting fact: He wanted to become a pilot in the U.S. Air Force.

Rusty Allen Smith calls himself an average Joe, a man who has lived an ordinary life, but he’d like to change that by breaking an obscure world record.

Smith, who moved to Albert Lea a year and a half ago, is training to put his name in the Guinness Book of World Records by breaking 11 panes of safety glass, in a line in one minute. His target date is August.

An absurd idea, sure, but he sees the record as something more than a record. It’s an identity, a claim to fame, but also tangible evidence of accomplishment, for a man who admits he hasn’t done much of significance.

“I want people to know who I am,” he said. “I want to look back in 20 years and see that plaque on my wall.”

Smith, a 26-year-old originally from Chino, Calif., got the idea after watching a television show about records found in the Guinness Book of World Records and saw an opportunity to become something more than an average Joe.

“Lots of people all across the world will be able to look at that book and be able to see my name,” said Smith, who has two children. “It’s something I can be proud of, something my kids can be proud of, something my family can be proud of, which there’s not a whole lot to be proud of.”

The stunt has never been performed in the United States and a German man, who broke 10 panes of safety glass, holds the record.

Out of all the hundreds upon thousands of records, Smith chose this one because he’s been through a windshield of a car — twice — and said he felt one that involved brute force was his strong suit.

Smith, who stands at 6 feet 6 inches and weighs 280 pounds, has been training for nearly two months and has undergone a metamorphosis he believes will extend beyond just training to break the record.

Prior to training Smith, was a line cook at the Green Mill restaurant who enjoyed his work and having a few beers after work.

Since then, he has abstained from alcohol, reduced his pack-a-day smoking habit to just a few and undertaken a completely new diet.

His pizza and french fry diet has changed to fish, rice, protein shakes and fruit.

“I feel healthier than I’ve ever been,” Smith said.

Part of the reason he’s after the record is to achieve a sense of accomplishment, because as he says he’s “probably never really done anything.”

“There’s not many people in the world that can say, ’I hold a world record,’” Smith said.

His preparation has included dragging 50-pound cinder blocks across the sand at the beach, moving football blocking sleds at the high school and plenty of cardio work.

Smith, who played football, soccer, volleyball and surfed during his younger years, sees the endeavor as a way to thank his parents for their support as he grew to become a man.

As a youth Smith found himself getting into trouble and worked to put that behind him and mature.

“Every time I talk to my mom and dad now, they always tell me keep doing what you’re doing, keep doing what you’re doing, which is awesome,” he said. “I’ve made my parents proud and now I want to make myself proud.”

For the stunt to go into the book, an official from the Guinness Book of World Records must be present. The expense is the burden of the person attempting to break the record and it’s not cheap. The average cost of flying a judge, or adjudicator, is $2,925, at a minimum, according to the Guinness Book of World Records’ Web site. The person attempting the record must pay for any hotel costs as well.

To offset some of those costs Smith has solicited sponsors. K&M Glass has agreed to provide the safety glass for Smith to run through. Snap Fitness has also given him a free membership while he trains, and he is lining up sponsors for equipment he will need.

Smith said he has surprised himself with what he’s been able to accomplish while trying to put the event together. Seeking out sponsors and asking for money isn’t a task that he’s very comfortable doing, but he’s had doors open that way.

Smith has almost had to reprogram all of his habits, and his friends have helped to keep him a strict diet and make sure he’s working out.

Still, Smith has questioned himself, but his desire to break the record hasn’t wavered.

“There was a time that I was just working out and I sat down and had a drink of water and I asked myself, ‘Why am I doing this?’” he said. “I don’t want to ask myself why am I doing this because I know why. I want to be a world-record holder.”

His friends think he’s crazy for wanting to break 11 windshields in a row, but they understand what it means to him and have supported him along the way.

Smith admits he is the only person he knows who is crazy enough to undertake such a project, but the chase for recognition and sense of purpose attached to the stunt has driven him.

“I’m not going to be a millionaire. I’ve never got that far,” Smith said. “I don’t have a million dollars, but this is just as good.”