A photo of handshaking

Kevin Whittaker and Cory Jens deserved congratulations after attempting to set a new world record, but they probably didn't want any handshakes.

That's because the pair shook hands with one another Monday for 9 1/2 hours, trying to beat a handshaking record of about nine hours set by two Germans.

The Guinness Book of World Records still must confirm the feat, one that Whittaker, 31, and Jens, 30, felt pretty confident they had achieved.

"I looked up what some of the weakest records were," Whittaker said. "I'm not going to break the 100-meter dash record, but I thought I could break this record."

The rules from Guinness appeared easy enough: Handshakers are not required to look each other in the eye or exchangepleasantries; they simply must grip palms and continuously move their hands up and down.

The historic day began at 2:07 p.m. outside the city's Ferry Building, where the duo endured the discomfort of sweaty palms, arm cramps and, of course, bathroom breaks. By nightfall, the two decided to continue their quest for greatness at a hotel bar, where they found comfortable seats and alcoholic beverages.

The effort culminated at 11:38 p.m. with a bottle of bubbly — and some much-needed space.

"It's not that fun, believe me," Whittaker said. "I'm a little tired. My shoulder is tired. In fact, it's extremely painful."