Dorset-based caterpillar marathon team say they smashed record
- Published
The team said they got a "fantastic" reception around Manchester
Runners who completed a marathon dressed as a caterpillar believe they have smashed the record for completing one in a six-person costume.
Team Phil completed the Manchester Marathon in two hours, 57 minutes and 30 seconds on Sunday.
The Dorset-based team has raised £8,100 for the Motor Neurone Disease (MND) Association.
They believe they have beaten the previous record by around 87 minutes.
Marcus Green, who formed the team, said they got a "fantastic" reception.
"I am the ringleader - this whole thing is my fault so you've got that added bit of pressure," Mr Green said.
"I landed badly one mile from the finish. I almost ran into James [Bewley], who was number five in the caterpillar, and by that point your legs are so tired."
The team completed the race in two hours, 57 minutes and 30 seconds
"Suddenly this cramp shot up my hamstring and so to stop the caterpillar you have to get the message to the front and it's 10 metres long so it's like stopping a train."
The other runners were Rich Bidgood, Hugh Tibbs, Nick Wright and David Mills.
They ran in memory of a friend, Phil Rossall, who died last year after suffering from MND.
Mr Rossall was diagnosed in 2016 but broke two world records himself and wrote books to raise awareness of MND.
Around 5,000 people have MND, external in the UK at any time and there is no cure.
Mr Green said the team had "stress-tested" the caterpillar costume in an earlier half marathon and ran 22 miles around Bournemouth dressed in it in the weeks leading up to the race.
"We got a fantastic reception from people who we overtook [in the marathon]," he added.
"I just said thanks for your support and people were so good to us out there."
The team tried out using the costume at earlier races
Denise Davies, the MND Association's head of community fundraising, said the charity was "incredibly proud" of the team.
"It has been a difficult record to try to break but Team Phil have absolutely smashed the previous one.
"It's because of people like those in Team Phil, inspired by their friend Phil Rossall who sadly died from MND last year, that we can continue to raise money to go towards helping people with motor neurone disease and research into possible treatments and a potential cure for this disease," she added.
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