Team Phil's successful push for Guinness World Record at Goodwood
The undisputed highlight of the RunThrough Running GP at Goodwood Motor Circuit on Sunday (8 December) was the successful Guinness World Record wheelchair push (male) achieved by Team Phil (pictured).
Team Phil are already Guinness World Record holders for 'the fastest half marathon pushing a wheelchair (male)' with 1:29:38 at Worthing on 10 February 2019 and on Sunday they added the marathon record (2:57:40) to improve on the mark (3:01:24) held by Sebastien Roulier, while pushing Marie-Michelle Fortin in the Montreal Marathon on 23 September 2018.
Team Phil are Marcus Green and Phil Rossall, a former teacher and keen runner from Orpington who has Motor Neurone Disease. Team Phil has raised over £28,000 for Motor Neurone Disease Association since Phil was diagnosed in 2016. But this truly was a team effort as friends David Mills and Guy James also ran a half marathon each while pushing a spare wheelchair and carrying a back-up breathing ventilator for Phil in a back pack! Their touching moment of glory was captured in this short video.
Running GP at Goodwood Motor Circuit is one of race management company RunThrough's most popular events and there were almost 1,200 finishers in six races from 5K to 50K, all based on laps of around 5K on the historic motor racing circuit.
Free parking, free massage, free photos, unique themed medal, limited edition finishers T-shirt and post race goodies are all included in the entry fee, along with the priceless marshals and essential chip timing.
The most popular distance was 10K where the winners were Duncan Selmes (35:31) and Joanne Aitken (36:55) – third overall from 467 finishers in 1:38:18. Brian Brett (16:17) and Lillie Hellyer (20:21) led the way in the 5K race.
The half marathon was won by David Long (1:11:28) and Sofie Kent (1:19:20) – another third overall women's race winner – 310 finished inside three hours. There was also a 20-miler won by Gianni Shipp (2:14:09) and W50 Ros Fowler (2:31:36) and just one taker for the 50K ultra: Mic Riddy (5:27:12).
Team Phil placed 11th and 12th in the marathon, won by Gareth Petts (2:42:18) and Emma McManus (3:19:04) as 131 completed the course in 5:34:44.
Full results are available via runABC South race listing here
Images courtesy Lucy Harfield at RunThrough
