Chasing a world record dressed as a giant panda could be oddly liberating | Kate Carter
The coveted title of ‘fastest marathon in a full body costume (female)’ is among those up for grabs at the London marathon
This Sunday, alongside a three-person sausage dog, an ironing board and a tube of toothpaste, I will be one of 95 people attempting to break a world record at the London marathon. My own attempt is for the coveted title of “fastest marathon in a full body animal costume (female)”. If you see a giant panda lolloping down the Mall, that will be me.
Why am I doing this? It’s a question I often ask myself, mostly when sweltering inside a giant fluffy black and white head. Partly to raise money for the World Wildlife Foundation, partly to prove a point. Earlier this year some running friends were talking about doing an “inflatable 5km” – essentially a parkrun with bouncy castles – when someone said: “Oh, you won’t be up for it, Kate, you take your running way too seriously.” That stung a little. Twenty-four hours later I had submitted my application.