Running clown gets third entry in Guinness Book of Records

6:18pm Wednesday 15th July 2009

By Thom Airs

A RUNNER from Oxfordshire has secured his third spot in the Guinness Book of World Records in less than seven months.

Abingdon Amblers member Paul Fernandez was one of a dozen men who smashed the world record for the longest distance covered on a treadmill by a team of 12 in 48 hours.

The 35-year-old Radley College teacher, who is an accomplished long-distance runner, has this year already set the record for the fastest marathon dressed as a clown — two hours, 50 minutes, 44 seconds — and the fastest marathon dressed as Elvis — two hours, 49 minutes and 56 seconds.

His hat-trick of achievements was completed in soaring temperatures at the Goodwood Festival of Speed in West Sussex on July 3, 4 and 5.

Mr Fernandez said: “This one, unlike the clown and Elvis records, will be very hard to beat, and I think it will stand for many years.”

The team covered 539.86 miles (868.64km), which added more than 70km to the existing record set in April 2008.

Mr Fernandez, whose marathon personal best is two hours and 39 minutes, ran for total of four hours in 20-minute stints. He averaged 3.80 miles (6.13km) every segment, at an average speed of 11.43mph (18.39kph). He ran a total of 45.7miles (73.55km) and finished fourth fastest – despite being the oldest member of the team.

The record was instantly ratified by a Guinness Book of World Records adjudicator who had watched the event.

Mr Fernandez said: “I wasn’t sure we’d make this one, as it was a really hard record to start with. I thought we might break it by three or four kilometres, so to do it with hours to spare was really good.

“The heat wasn’t too bad as we were in an open-sided tent and I had three day stints and three night stints. It wasn’t too hard to fall asleep after coming off the treadmill and I managed to get about an hour’s sleep before my night stints.

“At the end there were about 300 people watching us with film crews and photographers, and the achievement was all shared throughout the team so it was a bit of an occasion.

“I’m not sure if there will be other record attempts this year. I want to do the fastest marathon dressed as Santa Claus somewhere but that might have to wait until 2010.”