Run, Ralph, Run!
Meet Ralph, a local Londoner and keen runner. This year, Ralph is taking on the London Marathon in a gingerbread man costume, aiming to break the Guinness World Record for the fastest marathon in a gingerbread outfit while raising awareness and funds for The Childhood Trust.
Running in costume
Ralph has lived in London since 2012 and now calls Rotherhithe home, right on the marathon route near Mile 10. Inspired by the Marathon Day atmosphere and his previous marathon experiences, he decided to run again – this time in costume!
“It’s not every day you get to do something silly for a great cause, and so I’m embracing that.
“On my first (and currently only) practice run in the gingerbread man costume, I got passersby looking baffled, raising a smile, shouting words of encouragement, a few cars beeping their horns, and a fellow runner also training for the marathon running alongside me for a bit of a chat. It made me think that there must be more of us out there – plodding the streets in our silly costumes, readying ourselves for the big day!”
The idea came from Ralph’s daughter, who suggested he dress as a gingerbread man and even created a special gingerbread drawing to inspire him.
Willow: “I think it’s great! I can’t wait to see him running past. I’m making a surprise banner.”
It's not every day you get to do something silly for a great cause, and so I'm embracing that.
Going for the World Record
Ralph’s previous marathon time was just five seconds shy of the current Guinness World Record, and he hopes that with careful preparation, determination, and support from the crowd he can beat the 3 hr 14 min 15 sec runtime set by the current record holder of fastest marathon run in a gingerbread man costume:
“I last completed the London marathon in 2013, but this time I’m following a proper training plan! Now I’ve run in the costume I’ve realised that – unsurprisingly – it’s pretty warm, and so I’m doing all my other training runs in a hoodie and woolly hat to simulate that feeling! My mum has also kindly sewn a couple of air vents into the sides. But really, I think staying hydrated and not setting out too fast are going to be the two main things that get me across the finish line.”
Supporting The Childhood Trust
Ralph’s run will raise awareness and funds for The Childhood Trust, the charity supporting hundreds of thousands of children in poverty living across London. A staggering 38% of children across London live in poverty and Ralph’s home borough of Southwark is no different:
“I wanted to support a charity that’s tackling this issue head-on at a local level, doing practical, meaningful work to improve children’s lives. The Childhood Trust felt like a perfect fit for that.
“My wife and I are lucky to have an amazing four-year-old daughter, and I’m very aware that not every child will have access to the same opportunities and experiences that she will. Through my wife who’s a primary school teacher, and my mum who’s as a children’s social worker, I’ve had a real insight into the different challenges many children and families face. That’s especially true where we live in Southwark, where the level of child poverty is among the highest in the country.”
“I hope I bring a smile to a few people who read the story or spot me go by on the day. I’d encourage everyone to check out the fantastic work that The Childhood Trust is doing, to donate if they can, and to look out for and support others in their communities however they are able to.”
A massive thank you to Ralph for choosing to support The Childhood Trust as part of his marathon journey. Let’s help him reach his £2,500 fundraising goal and send him our best wishes for the rest of his training!