In occasione della Virgin Money London Marathon che si è disputata, alla sua 35^ edizione, il 26 aprile 2015, sono stati 33 i nuovi primati registrati come Guinness World Record.

Il migliore di tutti, quanto a crono realizzato è stato Paul Martelletti che è divenuto il più veloce Spiderman che abbia mai corso la Maratona di Londra, con il crono di 2h30'12.

Ma accanto a lui ci sono stati runner che hanno corso la maratona con i travestimenti più fantasiosi, alcuni anche "collettivi", coinvolgenti interi gruppi (che ovviamente hanno dovuto procedere di conserva per portare avanti la propria messinscena).

Si è registrato anche il record realizzato da Jerry Knox, registrato come l'uomo più veloce a correre la Maratona di Londra, palleggiando contemporaneamente con due palloni da Basket, oppure la più veloce maratona corsa a tre gambe da parte di una coppia di donne (con le due gambe vicine legate).
Di seguito l'elenco dei 33 che si sono conquistati sul campo il famoso certificato Guinness.

Speedy Spider-Man is best of the record-breakers

(26/04/2015) Paul Martelletti became the fastest marathon-running Spider-Man at the Virgin Money London Marathon today as 33 Guinness World Records fell at the 35th anniversary edition of the event where a Leprechaun, a whoopee cushion and a telephone box were among those who earned the famous certificate.

Martelletti recorded the speediest time of all the record-breakers as he crossed the line in his superhero costume in 2:30:12, while Jerry Knox broke the record for fastest man dribbling two basketballs, and records fell for the fastest in a three-person costume and the fastest three-legged marathon by a female duo.

The following is a full list of Guinness World Records set today:

1. The fastest marathon dressed as a three dimensional bird is 5:50:08 was achieved by Bob Johnson. (New record category)
2. The fastest marathon in a four-person costume is 6:23:03 and was achieved by Andy Newman, David Newman, Ian Newman and Neil Hendy. (Previous record 6:29:44)
3. The fastest marathon in a bomb disposal suit is 6:28:06 and was achieved by Iain Church. (Previous record 6:55:59)
4. The fastest marathon carrying an 80-lb pack is 5:53:20 and was achieved by Marc Jenner. (Previous record 5:58:58)
5. The fastest marathon dressed as a musical instrument is 4:26:12 and was achieved by Thomas Jones, dressed as a guitar. (Previous record 4:39:12)
6. The fastest marathon dressed as a telephone box is 4:33:56 and was achieved by Ric Nardi. (Previous record 5:54:52)
7. The fastest marathon carrying a 40-lb pack (female) is 4:34:42 and was achieved by Eva Clarke. (New record category)
8. The fastest marathon three-legged (female) is 4:45:21 and was achieved by Debbie Leeland and Paula Marshall. (New record category)
9. The fastest marathon dressed as a chef is 4:47:51 and was achieved by Stephen Roach. (Previous record 5:00:00)
10. The fastest marathon dressed as a fruit, as a strawberry is 4:13:24 and was achieved by Elizabeth King. (Previous record 4:32:28)
11. The fastest marathon in a three-person costume is 4:56:24 and was achieved by Andy Church, Laura Jones and Heather Smith. (Previous record 5:45:00)
12. The fastest marathon dressed as a superhero is 2:30:12 and was achieved by Paul Martelletti as Spider-Man. (Previous record 2:33:00)
13. The fastest marathon in a nurse’s uniform is 2:46:48 and was achieved by Neil Casey. (Previous record 2:48:24)
14. The fastest marathon dressed as a lifeguard is 2:55:54 and was achieved by Terry Midgley. (Previous record 3:01:00)
15. The fastest marathon carrying a 20lb pack is 2:56:39 and was achieved by Lee Ryan. (Previous record 3:12:29)
16. The fastest marathon dressed as a leprechaun is 2:59:30 and was achieved by Adam Jones. (Previous record 3:09:40)
17. The fastest marathon dressed as a boxer is 3:08:00 was achieved by Joe Elliott. (Previous record 3:35:34)
18. The fastest marathon dressed in a nurse’s uniform (female) is 3:08:54 and was achieved by Sarah Dudgeon. (Previous record 3:13:58)
19. The fastest marathon dressed as a videogame character is 3:09:28, and was achieved by Neil Light as Sonic the Hedgehog. (Previous record 3:29:41)
20. The fastest marathon dressed as a doctor is 3:13:23 and was achieved by Victoria Carter. (Previous record 3:54:06)
21. The fastest marathon in a cricket uniform is 3:20:46 and was achieved by Subhashis Basu. (Previous record 4:16:21)
22. The fastest marathon dressed in a graduation gown is 3:32:08 and was achieved by Kelly Murphy. (New record category)
23. The fastest marathon wearing a wetsuit is 3:19:41 and was achieved by Chris Taylor. (Previous record 3:25)
24. The fastest marathon dressed as a crustacean is 3:34:23 and was achieved by Giles Lock. (Previous record 3:55:13)
25. The fastest marathon dressed as a whoopee cushion is 3:38:15 and was achieved by David Smith. (New record category)
26. The fastest marathon dressed as a mascot is 3:42:12 and was achieved by Andy Nice. (Previous record 3:51:50)
27. The fastest marathon dressed as a monk is 3:27:17 and was achieved by Ian Young. (Previous record 3:29:32)
28. The fastest marathon dressed as a plant is 3:47:55 and was achieved by Andrew Smith. (New record category)
29. The fastest marathon dressed as a love heart is 3:18:23 and was achieved by Jennifer Sangster. (New record category)
30. The fastest marathon dressed as a tool is 3:49:45 and was achieved by Terry Bradbury as a tape measure. (New record category)
31. The fastest marathon dressed as an elf is 3:54:05 and was achieved by Andrew Shenton. (New record category)
32. The fastest marathon dressed as a playing card is 4:05:30 and was achieved by Karen Irons-McLean. (Previous record 4:23:57)
33. The fastest marathon dribbling two basketballs is 4:10:44 and was achieved by Jerry Knox. (Previous record: 4:39:12)

David Weir, Marcel Hug e Tatyana McFayden sono tra i disabili su wheelchair dati per favoriti alla vigilia della Virgin Money London Marathon 2015 (alla sua 35^ edizione, in programma il 26 aprile) e nel video che segue dialogano sulle proprie aspettative nella gara di domenica con Tanny Grey-Johnson, leggendaria atleta in wheelchair e con Michelle Weltman, coordinatore della gara.

Pre-race favourites David Weir, Marcel Hug and Tatyana McFadden look ahead to Race Day with wheelchair legend Tanni Grey-Thompson and race coordinator Michelle Weltman

Il quarantenne israeliano Eitan Hermon è un atleta disabile che parteciperà al Campionato del Mondo di Maratona per disabili che si svolgerà nel contesto della Virgin Money London Marathon, in programma domenica 26 aprile 2015.
Eitan Hermon correrà nella categoria T42 che accoglie gli atleti con una protesi ad un arto solo e parteciperà con l'idea di conquistare il record del mondo di maratona per la sua categoria di disabilità che è, allo stato, attestato sul crono di 2h57'06.
Nel 2006, mentre prestava servizio come soldato in Libano, venne ferito gravemente ad una gamba dall'esplosione di una bomba. I medici volevano fare di tutto per salvare l'arto danneggiato, ma ciò avrebbe comportato una permanente disabilità e l'impossibilità di correre.

Eitan Hermon insistette con i medici perché effettuassero l'amputazione in modo tale da consentirgli in seguito di potere utilizzare una speciale protesi che gli avrebbe consentito di tornare a correre.
E' stato riabilitato e preparato a correre la Maratona dall'Associazione TIKVOT che si pone ilcompito di riabilitare i feriti di guerra e le vittime delle azioni terroristiche attraverso lo sport.

The athlete who chose amputation to run the marathon (24/04/2015)

It’s a fair bet that few people who get injured in a bomb blast declare “One day I will run a marathon” while being rushed to hospital on a stretcher. But those were the words of Eitan Hermon, who will compete for Israel in the IPC Athletics Marathon World Championships at this weekend’s Virgin Money London Marathon.

Hermon is a T42 athlete, which means he competes with one prosthetic leg, and on Sunday he is not only running a marathon, but hoping to break the world record for his category of 2:57:06. He already holds an unofficial world record over 10km, and holds the second fastest single-amputee marathon time of 3:00:46.

Hermon grew up in a Kibbutz, a collective farming community, where he his love of running began.

“I used to run a lot when I was young and I liked it, I’d go for 5 km or 10 km - he says - After leaving school I went into the Israeli army. I served in the first Lebanon war but my leg was badly damaged during my compulsory yearly call-up during the second Lebanon war in 2006. There was an explosion, and I suddenly felt pain but then I didn’t feel anything at all,” he remembers. “I was more worried about internal injuries at first. Then we got to the hospital and I had an operation straight away. I told the doctors I needed to continue running and said they must do everything to save my leg. I was in the hospital for six weeks. After eight months I decided all the pain meant they should amputate my leg below the knee so I could run with a prosthetic leg. Running was something I had done my whole life and this was the way for me to get back to what I was”.

The Israeli ran his best marathon time in Berlin in 2014 after overcoming some difficulties where his prosthetic leg was rubbing against his skin and causing pain.

The 40-year-old explained: “I came to Berlin on crutches with a sore leg and did an amazing time. But this is my first time at the London Marathon and I hope everything will be good, all the conditions will be right. On Sunday we will know. I need a good race here. I’m only interested in the race, all the rest happening around it doesn’t matter. I will focus on the race”.

Hermon has been able to reach his current level of performance after receiving help from Tikvot, an organisation that rehabilitate wounded soldiers and terror victims through sport.

Rocky Muravitz, chairman and co-founder of Tikvot, said: “Our organisation met Eitan when he was in hospital. We meet all the injured soldiers and terror victims there and encourage them to come and do sport with us. Eitan is a prime example. As he said, he wanted to get back to what he was, and he did it through sport. He’s very excited that the IPC have acknowledged him. Now he’s been accepted as he is, he really wants to put in a strong performance here and get more amputees competing in future. He’s prepared to run for another five years and he hopes a marathon race for his category will be included in the 2020 Paralympic Games in Tokyo.”

Alla Virgin Money London Marathon 2015 che andrà in scena il 26 aprile 2015 (alla sua 35^ edizione), ci sarà battaglia aperta trai due favoriti principali della gara maschile, rispettivamente Wilson Kipsang (vincitore dell'edizione 2014) e Dennis Kimetto, l'uomo che gli ha strappato il record del mondo di Maratona.
Nel video i due campione dialogano tra loro.
Ma, a parte i due atleti keniani che si daranno battaglia, il cast maschile di questa edizione 2015 della London Marathon sarà da brivido, con allineati allo start, Emmanuel Mutai, campione a Londra nel 2011, Eliud Kipchoghe, campione all'edizione 2014 della Chicago Marathon, Stanley Biwott, uno degli uomini di punta dell'edizione 2014 della London Marathon, per non parlare di Geoffrey Mutai, due volte vincitore a New York.

Reigning Virgin Money London Marathon champion Wilson Kipsang today admitted he is expecting the biggest danger to come from his training partner and world record holder Dennis Kimetto in Sunday’s race.

The Kenyan pair will go head-to-head for the first time over the marathon distance in the 35th edition of the event and Kipsang knows it will be a harder race than ever before.

He was joined at the men’s elite press conference by Kimetto, 2011 London champion Emmanuel Mutai, 2014 Chicago Marathon champion Eliud Kipchoge, last year’s London runner-up Stanley Biwott and two-time New York Marathon champion Geoffrey Mutai.

“I’m expecting a big challenge from Dennis” - said Kipsang, who set the London course record in 2:04:29 last year - “I broke the world record in Berlin in 2013, then he broke the record last year. This is the first time we’ve met in a marathon but we’ve met in half marathons before. I’ve beaten him once [in Olomouc, the Czech Republic in 2014] and he’s beaten me once [in Ras Al Khaimah in 2012]. I have more experience in marathons but he has done very well in the few he’s done”.

Kipsang’s triumph last year was his second victory at the race, following his win in 2012. He has now triumphed in the last three of his World Marathon Majors races, including the New York City and Berlin marathons, and could become only the fourth man to win in London three times if he takes the victory on Sunday.

“My main aim is not the world record but to retain the title and run a good time” - said Kipsang. “With this kind of field, it will be a fast race and more tactical. We will start to keep the pace up and then we’ll see what happens. The main thing is it’s a very fast race so it’s about how you’ve prepared yourself and how you approach it. I analyse the other competitors and try to develop a race plan. There are new guys racing her this year so you always need to have a flexible approach”.

Gesturing to his fellow Kenyan runners, the reigning champion said: “If this was a World Championship field, this would be enough. When we are together, people can really see the potential in the athletes and it’s easier to get people excited. With many strong guys, there is a high chance of us running a fast time. It’s not something that we need to think about – when there are this many strong guys, it will be a fast time. Easy”.

Kipsang, 33, and Kimetto revealed that they regularly train with Geoffrey Mutai in Iten, as part of a larger group of 60 runners. The pair also both cited Paul Tergat, a former marathon world record holder, as their hero.

World record holder Kimetto is now 31 but his first international race wasn’t until the 2012 Ras Al Khaimah Half Marathon, where he beat Kipsang by 21 seconds. Kimetto also admitted he hadn’t trained seriously as a runner until around 2007, when he turned 23.

“I’m really happy to be here, my preparation has been good” - said Kimetto - “I’ve prepared in the same way that I did for Berlin when I set the world record”.

Asked about a potential debut appearance in the World Championships in Beijing this summer, or at the Olympics in Rio de Janeiro next year, he replied: “My plan is to finish this race first and then see how it goes”.

The elite men’s race starts at 10:10 on Sunday.

La kenyana Edna Kiplagat, già vincitrice dell'edizione 2014 della Virgin Money London Marathon, punta anche a questa nuova edizione (la 35^ che si svolgerà domenica 26 aprile 2015) ed é, di fatto, una delle favorite.
Nel video, qui presentato, riflette sulla sua esperienza dello scorso anno e si augura di poter realizzare il meglio di sé, gareggiando nel gruppo dei "fantastici quattro kenyani".

Gli altri del gruppo dei "fantastici quattro" sono Mary Keitany che auspica di poter battere il record della maratona di Londra stabilito da Ann Radcliff con 2h17'42, Florence Kiplagat, detentrice del record del mondo nella Mezza Maratona, e Jeptoo Priscah che, vincitrice a Londra nel 2013, punta ad un crono inferiore alle 2h20'.