More on KentOnline
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A runner dressed as Britain's most famous clock who was knocked off course by wind during a race is hoping for better weather this Sunday when he dons the costume once again for the London Marathon.
A video of Lukas Bates, from Maidstone, at last month's Vitality Big Half in London went viral on Twitter when he got stuck at Canary Wharf as strong gusts created a wind tunnel, and fellow runners were called on to rally around him and push him in the right direction.
However, he has not let the experience put him off and is now looking to break the Guinness World Record for the fastest marathon dressed as a landmark building - which stands at three hours, 34 minutes and 34 seconds - when he dusts off the costume of the Queen Elizabeth Tower - home to Big Ben - this weekend.
The quantity surveyor, who is running in support of the Dementia Revolution, has a marathon personal best of two hours and 59 minutes, but due to the shape and size of his costume, which towers around 1.5m above his head, beating the record is going to be a big challenge.
He said: “Having run the London Marathon four times previously, this year I decided I wanted to do something different, have a bit of fun and wear a crazy costume.
“It’s going to be very hard to break the record with the costume I’ve chosen. I could have made it smaller and easier to carry, but I want it to be a real challenge.
“I’ve made the costume lighter, but wind is still a massive issue because of the shape and size of it. Even a little breeze can push me sideways.
“The Big Half was pretty scary – at one point I literally couldn’t stand up. I’m just praying for a still day for the marathon.”
The 30-year-old will be looking to break the record set by Richard Mietz at the Berlin Marathon in September last year, who ran dressed as the Holstentor city gate in Lübeck.
Lukas chose to support the Dementia Revolution, the one-year campaign from Alzheimer’s Society and Alzheimer’s Research UK as Charity of the Year for this year’s London Marathon, as both his grandmothers have been affected by Alzheimer’s disease.
One grandmother died last year, while the other is living in a care home.
Click here to sponsor him.
