Hull Trains employee Michael Manders, aka Mike the Knight, is suiting up for the London Marathon and has his sights set on breaking a Guinness World Record.
Mike, an On-Board Manager, is no stranger to a challenge and this Sunday he will take on one of his trickiest to date, as he gears himself up to compete in the London Marathon wearing his 15th-Century suit of armour, weighing in at a hefty 5.5 stone.
As ever, Mike will be taking part in the venture in aid of the charity, Action for Children, and has currently raised over 80% towards his £3,000 target.
In addition to raising valuable funds, Mike will also be looking to set a new Guinness World Record for completing a marathon in an armoured suit in the fastest time. The record is currently held by Peter Pedersen from Denmark who completed the HC Andersen Marathon back in September 2008. His time came in at 6 hours, 48 minutes with his suit weighing 28 kilos.
Mike is aiming for 6 hours and 30 minutes in his suit weighing 36 kilos.
He said: “I’m nervous, but I’ll be fine as soon as I’m on that starting line. This is the first time I have ever taken part in a marathon. Everyone has been a huge support, especially all of my colleagues at Hull Trains. They’ve helped me arrange accommodation, travel, and have been really flexible around my working hours, not just for this weekend, but for all of the charity events I have undertaken so far.”
Mike has been on a remarkable journey since he took up running three-years-ago; at one time shredding a third of his body weight as he looked to improve his health and wellbeing. He has since participated in a host of charitable activities and has received praise from Action for Children.
Mike said: “I wanted to be there for my children in the future and show them that anything is possible if you put your mind to it. Unfortunately, my kids can’t be there with me in person this weekend, but they’ll be following me along the app every step of the way.”
Martijn Gilbert, Managing Director at Hull Trains, added: “All of us at Hull Trains wish Mike the very best for this weekend and we look forward to hearing how he gets on. Running a marathon is hard enough as it is, but to do it wearing a suit of armour really shows how determined Mike is to raise awareness of his chosen charity. He really is an inspiration to everyone.”
Donations towards Michael’s run can be made at: https://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/mike-manders1
