Yahoo News 10 things no-one tells you before you run the marathon ... dressed as a telephone
Dave Lock won’t be hard to miss during the 2018 Virgin London Marathon. Lock is famous for completing the 26.2-mile course wearing a green Samaritans telephone outfit.
However, this Sunday's race might pose new territory for the 56-year old. As Britain basks in an unseasonally early heat wave, forecaster's are warning that the event may be the hottest ever – leading organisers to warn that anyone who intends to run in fancy dress should "think carefully" about whether or not their attire is appropriate for the conditions.
Here, Lock reveals his survival plan, and discusses the hidden hazards of donning extreme fancy dress for a marathon run…
You can't phone it in when the temperature rises
"I'm going to take it slower for the first 10k on Sunday, to see how I'm coping with the conditions on the day, possibly increasing the pace depending on how I feel but also taking on more fluids and the drinks stations. The other thing I have to remember is the Factor 50 screen. Because I'm bald I've got post-it notes dotted around the house to remind me to take it. Other than that it'll just be a case of lots of water and regulating the pace.
“Really, I don’t mind the heat when running in costume. For the 50th anniversary of the Samaritans I ran the Singapore marathon in the outfit where the heat was 40 degrees. I don’t like the rain because it reduces the number of people who come to watch but for me the worst is the wind, especially when running through Docklands. The phone turns me into a giant sail and I literally get blown off my feet on that leg of the course.”
You Have To Train In Costume
“A couple who saw me running through Epping Forest in January dressed as bright green telephone were a little bit put out. They said ‘We came here to see the deer… there’s no chance of that with you running around as a telephone!’ But in order to get used to the weight and the dimensions and to cut down the risk of chaffing you have to train in the outfit too.”
Getting On And Off The Tube Is A Nightmare
“I have to get into my phone outfit at home and head off to get the Central Line from Woodford to get into London. It’s difficult enough because it’s starts getting busier with other marathon runners coming on board, but it’s a real challenge getting to the start and getting back on the tube to travel home at the finish. I don’t enjoy ticket barriers.”
Wrist Ache Is My Main Injury
“Because of the popularity of the costume I get lots of the crowd wanting to ‘high five’ me. It’s great as it’s all part of the publicity for the cause but I have a challenge not to miss out on any high fives. Also some people really like to give me a good, firm whack as I run past. It can take its toll on my hands and wrists especially.”
I’ve Had To Refill My Phone
“This year the outfit will be a little heavier. I had my costume refilled as the foam had gone all saggy, so it’s now more stable. Before that the receiver on the phone was pushing my head down, so I had to run like an ostrich by pushing my head forward. I can go another 20 years now running in it. It’s 2-3 kilos heavier so I have had to sacrifice comfort for weight gain.”
It Helps To Have A Worthy Cause
“I’d battled some tough times in the past and the Samaritans were a great support. That experience prompted me to become a volunteer at Samaritans in Waltham Forest. I’d been doing marathons since 1985 – my first was my best time at 3 hours and 1 minute. I’ll never beat that time, especially in the outfit. My best time as a telephone is about 5.5 hours.”
You Have To Stop To Take ‘Calls’
“Running as a telephone means you draw a lot of attention to yourself. You have to keep smiling no matter how much you hurt and you get stopped by the media a lot.
"One time the Sunday Sport stopped me for a photo with two women who opened their coats to reveal they were topless! On another occasion Matt Baker from the One Show asked me what I’d usually be doing at 9am on a Sunday. I just replied on live TV; ‘I’d be in bed with my wife’. I took a lot of stick at work for that reply the next day.”
If You Do It Once You’ll End Up Doing It Again
“Alongside the London and Singapore marathon I’ve also run Dublin too. It’s not always been as this telephone though. To promote their text messaging app I ran it as a mobile phone one year. On another occasion I did the whole course dressed as a Desktop PC to highlight the Samaritans online service. You have to adapt your running style to each one as you can’t use your arms normally or raise your knees the way you do when running without costume.”
People Just Give You Money
“I’ve raised around £30,000 to date dressed as the telephone, that’s the amount I know of. Many more people see me on the TV and send donations to the charity. I got a lot of sponsorship when I ran from John O’Groats to Land’s End as a telephone. I also carried a collection bucket one year but found that, sod’s law, the moment after I left a Samaritans station on the route the bucket would fill up and weigh me down until the next one 10 miles later. One year a guy saw me walking home from the station still in the costume, he stopped his car and gave me several hundred pounds in cash having seen me on TV.”
I Usually End Up Racing Against Rhinos
“Nobody wants to be overtaken by a telephone – but I often run negative splits which means I’m faster in the second half of the marathon. As a result, I pass a lot of people who are struggling and I get some good natured stick for doing so. In the last few miles I find myself in a race with the big Rhinos to see which costume can cross the line first. I don’t mind if it takes me longer – the more time I’m out on the course the greater the awareness for the Samaritans. I’ve got a big smiley face on the front of the phone because that’s where we want to get to as a charity - putting a smile back on people’s faces.”
