Fastest Brain to run the London Marathon

London Marathon 2023

In what turned out to be the most memorable marathon of my life so far, the London Marathon 2023 was spectacular and I did it in style of course! For the 26.2 mile course, I ran it all wearing a BRAIN costume that lived up to the cause I was raising funds and awareness for which was mental health (Mind in Mid Herts), find out why I did this on my charity fundraising page. A big thank you to Simon Pay from Heath Mount School for my costume design.

Official race photograph running over Tower Bridge

What did I learn from the experience?

Here are my key learnings about wearing a costume when running a marathon for anyone interested in doing the same in running a marathon with a costume on.

The challenges of my brain costume

Drag - These costumes are big a clunky and they take a lot more energy to move through the air as well as pick up any and all wind which makes far more resistance when running. I was blown sideways from crosswinds at times and was heavily slowed down on headwinds, these costumes can have serious drag factors.
Weight - Your costume will weigh and this is what you will need to be able to carry for the full 26.2 miles. This weight will get heavier as the run goes on as you get more tired and weaker your running form may drop and your resistance to the weight may decrease which can lead to injury so be sure to train with weight when you run on the lead-up to the marathon to fully prepare for the weight you will need to endure in a costume marathon.
Weather - consider the weather - “There’s no such thing as bad weather, only unsuitable clothing.” But when you’re planning to run a marathon in a costume, I will argue against this expression. During my marathon, it rained on the day and my costume got wet, and that increased the weight of it and weight me down. Or if it’s windy like mentioned above with drag, will your costume be a danger to yourself or other runners? Mine almost was as I was moved from side to side, so had to be very resistant to the wind with engaged core muscles the entire run. On the flip side, if it’s extremely hot then remember that you’re going to sweat a lot more if you’re inside a costume. Unlike the technical running gear that’s designed to draw sweat away from your skin, a costume will trap heat - making it harder for you to run.
Dehydration - If you’re running a marathon in fancy dress, you’ll probably sweat a lot more than someone who is running in a vest in shorts so it’s therefore important that you take on more fluids. In order to do this, you need to make sure that you can actually drink in your costume. As well as practising running in your costume, you need to rehearse your fuelling strategy too. If you are going to be sweating a lot in your outfit, you’ll also need to take on some electrolytes to replace the salts that you’ll lose.
Travelling to the start line - If you’re travelling to your marathon, then you definitely need to think about how you’ll get your costume to the start line. I travelled via train and London Underground Tube line with my costume which was mainly made of foam and able to fold or squeeze which was handy during busy periods. Remember that public transport on the day of your marathon will likely be busier, and you might need a hand carrying your outfit so ask a friend in advance. Nerves will already be running high on the morning of your race - don’t give yourself something else to panic about. Plan ahead to make your life easier.

Early morning in London Underground holding the costume

No.1 Top Tips when Choosing a Costume

My top tip would be to try to make anything you’re running in as light, breathable and as accessible as possible. Try to make sure your costume is made from lightweight materials to ensure you stay as comfortable as possible when running. You might need to adapt your outfit to include extra ventilation too. You also need to ensure you can actually see and breathe in your costume. If your costume does impair your vision, it might be worth running with a friend who can guide you around the course. Another important thing to consider - is how will you go to the toilet? Again you may need to modify the costume so that you’re not caught short.

Official race photograph running past the London Eye

Training in a costume

As with all things preparation is key and race day is too late to find out that your costume needs alterations and isn’t suitable to run 26.2 miles in. The best way to test it out is to train in it. I was quite lucky as my costume was made 4 days before the London Marathon (something I do not advise) and I actually never trained in it at all but this was super risky! If I would redo this experience I would complete some long runs in your costume to imitate what you’ll experience on race day. What I did beforehand though was complete long runs with a weighted vest or you could consider a weighted backpack to mimic the additional weight of a costume. I always suggest that you should never wear new gear for a race - fancy dress costumes included. After you’ve trained in your costume, you’ll have a much better idea of any further modifications you need to make to your outfit.

Training with a weighted vest in sand dunes!

The Benefits of Wearing a Costume

Support - Honestly, the encouragement you get when you’re in fancy dress is phenomenal – it’s very motivating. When you hit that wall at 18-22 miles and you can’t even think about doing another 10K, hearing spectators shouting your name and seeing kids’ faces lighting up as they see you running past really helps you to keep going to the end. I was asked a few to times to pose for photographs and TV interviews and the sight of the costume out on the course could be just the inspiration your fellow runners need to keep going. In short, it might be the closest to being a celebrity you’ll ever get so make sure you enjoy every second of the experience.
Raising Awareness of the charity - You stand out that is for sure in a costume. You’ve hopefully had lots of donations in the lead-up to your marathon, but once people see you running in your costume on the day, you’re sure to get even more. I would urge you to make sure you clearly display the name of the charity you’re running for on your costume so that any spectators who want to donate can.
Opportunity for you to break a world record - For many runners, taking on a marathon in full costume is not only an opportunity to raise money for a charity close to their heart but also the chance to break a world record. Visit the Guinness World Records website for everything you need to know about the application process. Get creative!