Worthing ultrarunner eyes world record in marathon car pull along the promenade

Russell Cook is no stranger to exhausting trials - the 23-year-old ran 2,000 miles from Istanbul to Lancing in just over a month - and on Saturday (October 10) he will complete a seafront marathon. Only this time, he will be dragging a 730kg Suzuki behind him.

The aim is to beat the current record of 19 hours.

"I'm pretty confident, I'd say 95 per cent sure I will break the record," said Russell.

"Looking at times from my training and looking at the people who have done it before, they're all quite big guys. Having my endurance will do me good - I'm used to the long slogs. That's what will give me the edge."

Russell will set off from Heene Road at 2am on Saturday, pulling his friend's Suzuki Alto 1km west down the coast. Completing the circuit just over 42 times will see him finish the marathon, he hopes, before 8pm.

After taking three months to recover from his 2,000 mile Istanbul to Lancing ordeal, he has kept his fitness ticking over with some shorter travails, such as running 2.6 marathons in a row and a marathon where he stopped at a pub for a bottle of Corona at every mile. "I don't remember anything of that one past half way," he said.

Training for his record attempt has seen him pulling a Peugeot 206 and adding bulk to his frame, particularly to his legs. Car pulls are usually the domain of all-out strongmen, but Russell is hoping to show it can be achieved as a hybrid between endurance and raw strength.

As with his trans-continental marathon, Russell is raising money for The Running Charity, an organisation that supports 16-25 year olds at risk of, or experiencing, homelessness and helps get them back on their feet through running.

You can donate here: https://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/carmarathon