Two runners from Looe have set a world record after completing the London Marathon inside a giant inflatable elephant.
asserted
runners → set → elephant
Jo Robinson and Emma Langstaff finished the race in 4:15:40, recording the fastest marathon time ever recorded in a two-person inflatable costume.
asserted
Robinson → finish → costume
As members of the Looe Pioneers running club, they took on the challenge to raise money and awareness for type one diabetes.
asserted
they → take → diabetes
According to the Cornish Times, Emma works as a doctor and treats patients with type one diabetes, while both of Jo’s daughters live with type one diabetes.
uncertain
both → accord → diabetes
The pair had trained only twice in the costume before race day, but worked together to manage shorter steps and a matching cadence.
asserted
pair → train → steps
Their run also followed Jo’s failed attempt to set a record dressed as a lobster in 2023.
asserted
run → follow → 2023
How did two runners set a marathon world record in an inflatable elephant
Jo Robinson and Emma Langstaff completed the London Marathon in 4:15:40 while wearing an inflatable elephant costume.
asserted
Robinson → set → costume
The time they took to run the marathon made them the fastest pair ever to complete one in a two-person inflatable costume.
asserted
them → take → costume
They are members of the Looe Pioneers running club, but the challenge was about more than the novelty of running as an elephant.
asserted
challenge → run → elephant
They also wanted to raise money and awareness for type one diabetes.
asserted
They → want → diabetes
Emma is a doctor who works with patients living with the condition.
asserted
who → work → condition
Both of Jo’s daughters are also suffering from type one diabetes.
asserted
Both → suffer → diabetes
Jo said, “It was physically demanding, especially starting further back, but we spent much of the race overtaking people, which gave us a real lift psychologically.
asserted
which → say → lift
I’m not sure those being passed by an elephant enjoyed it quite as much, but it certainly kept us going.”
asserted
it → ’m → us
The teamwork behind the inflatable elephant marathon
The shared inflatable costume meant the pair had to change their usual running style.
asserted
pair → share → style
Jo Robinson said, “You’ve got to completely change your stride”
asserted
You → say → stride
“Shorter steps, matching cadence, it’s all about working together.
asserted
it → match → ?
But I knew Emma was the perfect partner.
asserted
Emma → know → ?
We’ve done loads together over the years.”
asserted
We → do → years
“We only practised twice, once along Hannafore in the dark and once around town on a Saturday night”
asserted
We → practise → night
“I think we definitely confused a few people who were out as there were some faces like, ‘I need to stop drinking!”
asserted
I → think → drinking
How did Jo turn a failed lobster attempt into an elephant world record
The elephant challenge also had a personal significance for Jo Robinson.
asserted
challenge → turn → Robinson
In 2023, she made an attempt at a Guinness World Record while dressed as a lobster, but the effort ended in failure when the costume became soaked.
asserted
costume → make → failure
Jo said, “The costume got soaked and it was like running with a wet towel wrapped round my legs”.
asserted
it → say → legs
“This time, I was determined to get it done.”
asserted
it → determine → ?
The London Marathon also left a strong impression on the runners.
asserted
Marathon → leave → runners
Jo had previously taken part in the Paris and Berlin marathons, but said neither compared with London because of the crowd support.
asserted
neither → take → support
She said the cheers from strangers gave the runners a boost and kept them going throughout the race.
asserted
cheers → say → race
The elephant costume turned a marathon into a memorable challenge
The Cornish Times reports they now have a certificate of sorts, but the official one still needs to be ordered.
asserted
one → turn → sorts
Both runners are turning 50 this year, but said their plans were not the result of a midlife crisis.
asserted
plans → turn → crisis
Instead, they said their motivation came from their love of running, sense of humour and desire to do something different.
asserted
motivation → say → something
They are already considering their next challenges, including the Scilly 60 and the New York Marathon.
asserted
They → consider → Scilly
Jo said the elephant made people smile, which was what the challenge was all about.
asserted
challenge → say → what
The record attempt brought together their running experience, their efforts to raise money and awareness for type one diabetes, and a memorable sight for marathon spectators.
asserted
attempt → bring → spectators
The Aporia
