Eddie Izzard has just completed his fantastic 27 marathons in 27 days for Sports Relief and raised £1 million for charity in the UK.
“It’s been the hardest thing I’ve ever done and I’m very tired,” he told the BBC after he finished the race. “Thank you to everyone who has donated. This was tough so don’t do this at home.”
Well a lot of us DO do this in some form or another at home, but what about those who have won fame and fortune? How many of them are willing to put it on the line?
1. Alan Turing
Tortured genius and father of the modern age. He was a regular runner and could run a marathon in just ten minutes slower than the then Olympic Champion. His time in 1949 at the AAA Olympic qualifying marathon was 2 hours 46.03. Ultras? Well, his regular route was Cambridge to Ely and back which was 50km.
2. Tony Audenshaw
Star of the UK television show Emmerdale and often to be seen running the trails in the Peak District (Yorkshire, UK) he has a pretty good ultra pedigree. He has run The Bullock Smithy 56m and Roentgenlauf 63.3km ultras and is the current Guinness World Record Holder for Fastest Baby In A Marathon. Remember, you read it here first…..
3. Jonny Lee Miller
Who can forget Simon “Sick Boy” Williamson in Trainspotting? And who would have thought he would go from that to ultra running. He has run several marathons and was planning for MdS but had to drop out due to filming… “Marathon” (oh the irony). In 2014 he ran an ultra-marathon (50 miles), in honor of, Jonah’s Just Begun in just under 13 hours. Oh yes, and he was married to Angelina Jolie.
That is just a small sample. Of course, when it comes to straight marathons, there is a long, long list. Check out Wikipedia to see who you are faster than over 42km.
