On 17th April 2011 29-year-old former Royal Marine Lee Riley smashed the world record by over forty minutes for the fastest-ever marathon carrying a 40-lb pack over the 26.2-mile course of the Virgin London Marathon.
Then 25-year-old former “Red Beret” Parachute Regiment soldier Paddy Doyle had set the previous record of 4 hours 42 minutes in 1991, and it had remained unbroken for twenty years. Lee’s quest to obliterate that, aiming for a time of sub-3 hours 30 minutes, was the product of twelve months’ training following on from his 150-mile charity run with pack across the Pennines.
His long-term dream was to set an Olympic gold standard, a challenge of unique standing, to push himself to new limits. In March 2011, Lee destroyed the world record for the 13.1-mile half-marathon with a 40-lb pack at Shakespeare Stratford Raceway in 1 hour 36 minutes 56 seconds, knocking seven minutes from the previous record which stood for ten years. London was his first marathon, his aim to peak on the day.
Photo: Sir Richard Branson meets elite athlete Lee Riley who had just annihilated another world record
Nothing in Lee’s extremely varied time in the armed services, including Special Forces training, could have prepared him physically for running that distance at that pace with a pack in the oppressive heat and a crush of thousands of other runners.
He was facing strong competition from 39-year-old intelligence officer Flt. Lt. Tim Artus, a lightning-speed RAF marathon champion. Nobody wanted this record more than Lee. Despite the throng of well-wishers lining the route and chanting his name from the start, Lee dared not even momentarily take his mind off the race, or his eyes off the course, for fear of the pack-carrying competition overtaking at any time. Win or nothing.
At 16 miles, Lee hit his wall in Millwall. Thinking ahead in short distances, all the time trying to pick up speed, spurred him through, while his glycogen levels depleted to near-zero and body tissues started to be consumed for fuel. Inside he was roaring to himself “Once a Marine, always a Marine”. Running those next few miles was the most difficult personal challenge that he’d ever faced.
The crowds were becoming louder as the twenty-mile marker passed, still six miles to go, by when Lee’s legs were pumping efficiently on automatic pilot. A strong sprint over the final 400 metres gave him a time of slightly over 4 hours. He’d annihilated the twenty-year record but had marathon champion Tim Artus beaten him to it?
Lee donned his Marines’ green beret as he crossed the finish line. Guinness World Records confirmed his time as 4 hours 1 minute and 17 seconds and Tim Artus’s time as 4 hours 34 minutes 59 seconds; not even that close, yet for the previous four hours Lee had run in mortal dread of Artus snatching the record. How wrong could he have been?
Lee walked away with his pack, to continue his journey and pursue other records elsewhere. Paddy Doyle, who had held the record since 1991, sent gracious congratulations. Lee commented “A great gesture, a great man”.
Lee continues to support The Soldiers’ Charity and is actively seeking corporate and advertising sponsorship for his future high-profile fitness feats and challenges.
His next dream is to run the supposedly-impossible sub-five minute mile with 40-lb pack, for which the present record is 5 minutes 35 seconds.
To sponsor The Soldiers’ Charity via Lee or for more information on Riley Fitness personal training services, please visit www.rileyfitness.co.uk.
