{"id":888486,"date":"2026-04-12T06:53:24","date_gmt":"2026-04-12T06:53:24","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/888486\/"},"modified":"2026-04-12T06:53:24","modified_gmt":"2026-04-12T06:53:24","slug":"why-do-thousands-run-the-london-marathon-in-costume","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/888486\/","title":{"rendered":"Why do thousands run the London Marathon in costume?"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"A<\/p>\n

Alex Morris said running the London Marathon while dressed as a polar bear was the hardest experience of his life<\/p>\n

Every year, tens of thousands of runners flock to the start of the London Marathon, eager to prove they can go the distance.<\/p>\n

There will also be plenty from across the country at Sunday’s London Landmarks Half Marathon.<\/p>\n

While many athletes take part in standard running gear, there are those who choose to tackle the 26.2-mile (42.2km) course in weird and wacky fancy dress.<\/p>\n

While it adds spectacle, humour and joy, running with the extra layers or awkward clothing items presents its own challenges<\/p>\n

“It was the single hardest experience of my entire life,” said Alex Morris, almost a year after he completed the race wearing a polar bear onesie.<\/p>\n

He had not run a marathon since his early 20s but decided to take part in aid of mental health charity Mind.<\/p>\n

Morris did more than 200 miles of training and became known as “the polar bear guy” in his hometown.<\/p>\n

But the 36-year-old, from Shrewsbury, also found out how restrictive his outfit was as he was forced to adapt his running style due to how difficult it was to move his legs freely.<\/p>\n

\"A<\/p>\n

Alex Morris said it was a “rewarding day”<\/p>\n

His biggest adversary on the day was the heat, made worse by the onesie, which led to him losing about 2kg of weight.<\/p>\n

His marathon became a “constant battle” of putting one foot in front of the other and despite a few “frank conversations” with ambulance staff, he managed to complete the course in just over five hours.<\/p>\n

“It was just so horrific,” Morris said, “but I managed mile after mile, half mile after half mile, to eventually get to the end.”<\/p>\n

He praised the “amazing” atmosphere and support, adding: “It was an extremely hard but rewarding day.<\/p>\n

“Looking back, almost a year to the day, I can’t believe I managed to do it.”<\/p>\n

\"A<\/p>\n

Sally Orange achieved the Guinness World Record for the fastest marathon dressed as a nut in 2019<\/p>\n

Army veteran Sally Orange, 52, is no stranger to running the event dressed up \u2013 she has done it 14 times, mainly fundraising for mental health charities.<\/p>\n

She holds the Guinness World Record for the fastest marathon dressed as a nut and has previously held the records for fastest as a superhero and a fruit.<\/p>\n

After she was diagnosed with breast cancer, she finished the race wearing a giant breast in 2025 and will be doing the same this year in aid of Breast Cancer Now, despite recently going through treatment.<\/p>\n

“When people ask me what time I’m going for, I always say I’m going for the time of my life,” she said.<\/p>\n

“The costume enforces that within me because it shows I’m not particularly going for a fastest time.<\/p>\n

“That’s why I love it, it’s almost reframing the reason for why I’m doing it – to have fun and make other people smile.”<\/p>\n

\"A<\/p>\n

Sally Orange ran the 2025 London Marathon wearing a giant breast costume<\/p>\n

Orange, who grew up in Stafford and now lives in Salisbury, said the other runners would often support those wearing costumes and she loved seeing the reaction from people watching.<\/p>\n

“It takes the pressure off because it just changes the dynamic or the reason you’re doing it,” she added.<\/p>\n

“You’re doing it to complete it rather than to compete in it. I think you’re only ever really competing with yourself unless you’re an elite runner.”<\/p>\n

Chris Garratt will be taking part in his sixth London Marathon this year and hopes to break the record for the fastest while dressed in a graduation gown.<\/p>\n

It will come three years after the 50-year-old from Worcester tried to break a similar record in 2023, while wearing a lumberjack costume.<\/p>\n

\"A<\/p>\n

Chris Garratt, pictured during the Worcester City Runs, previously ran the London Marathon in a lumberjack costume<\/p>\n

“It did not go well,” he said, adding that he was hampered by the large work boots he had to wear, which got progressively heavier because of rain.<\/p>\n

He reached 17 miles before stopping by St John Ambulance’s station and telling them he wanted to reassess his life choices.<\/p>\n

“Psychologically it wore me down,” he added. “It wasn’t a great experience.”<\/p>\n

He managed to complete the marathon but did not break the record, though he would run the fastest half marathon dressed as a lumberjack later that year.<\/p>\n

\"A<\/p>\n

Chris Garratt will be running this year’s London Marathon in a full graduation outfit<\/p>\n

Garratt said the graduation outfit for this year, which includes a full suit, was inspired by his aim to raise money for the student scholarship and hardship fund at the University of Worcester, where he works.<\/p>\n

While he was looking forward to it, he said he was feeling nervous, partly due to his experience in 2023.<\/p>\n

“I think there’s got to be something psychologically wrong with you to do this kind of stuff anyway,” he said.<\/p>\n

“But it’s just the experience, there’s nothing like it\u2026 when you go around in an outfit and you look a bit stupid, it’s just phenomenal.”<\/p>\n

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More on this storyRelated internet links<\/p>\n