A University of Worcester colleague is aiming to become the world’s fastest man to complete the London Marathon in full graduation attire.
50-year-old Chris Garratt, Deputy Chief Information Officer at the University, has had his attempt formally accepted by Guinness World Records.
He’ll be running the April 2026 race in a suit, trainers, and the official University of Worcester graduation gown, with a mortarboard hat complete with tassels.
It’s not the first time Chris has made the news for his running exploits, as he is the current world record holder for the fastest half marathon dressed as a lumberjack.
“When I ran as a lumberjack, I had to wear heavy boots,” said Chris. “With this one I’m a bit happier as I’ll be able to wear running shoes which will make a difference. It’ll still be quite difficult because the gown is heavy and the cap is quite tricky to keep on your head while you run!”
He will have to complete the race in less than 3 hours, 31 minutes, and 11 seconds if he’s going to beat the current men’s record holder.
An experienced runner and fundraiser, Chris also completed 50 miles in 12 hours during the Covid-19 lockdown by running 2,500 laps of his house to raise money for the NHS.
Chris is raising money for the University of Worcester’s Student Scholarship and Hardship fund. Colleagues across the University have been fundraising to support student welfare through bake sales, car washes, plant sales, and the Vice Chancellor’s 280km walk along the coastal path between Porto in Portugal and Santiago de Compostela in Spain this summer.
Chris, who has worked at the University for nearly 30 years, said: “I’ve seen a lot of students graduate in my time, and I’m proud that the University is so focussed on making sure everyone, regardless of their background, can get an education.”
He continued: “We’ve got a lot of health-based courses here, and we train a lot of nurses, doctors, midwives and paramedics, and they don’t get the opportunity to work as much as they might need to because they spend so much time on placements. This can make it really hard to make the money they need to make ends meet.”
Chris added: “Helping students through tough times is really important to me.”
If you’d like to donate to Chris’ cause, you can do so on his JustGiving page.
For information on courses at University of Worcester visit www.worcester.ac.uk or for application enquiries telephone 01905 855111 or email [email protected]