News
14/04/2008
Stilts of glory - Leader’s London Marathon success
Thousands of runners battled the downpours to complete last weekend’s Flora London Marathon, but one Leader definitely got the best views – thanks to running in four-foot high stilts.
Michelle Frost, a Beaver Scout Leader from Bedford, Michelle finished the course in 8 hours 36 minutes. Despite perfect weather forecasts, Michelle managed to smile her way around the course as the 35,000 entrants were forced to endure lightning, heavy downpours and a drenching.
Michelle, who is raising money for the Cornwall-based volunteer charity Reach, said: ‘It was a bit of a spur of the moment idea because I could already stilt walk, and I thought why not?’
Even though she was taller than all the other marathon runners, Michelle received support from some special small supporters. Her Beaver Scouts at the 101st Kempston Scout Group were there to encourage her all the way. She said that they great delight in marching through her legs when she wears her stilts.
In preparation for the big day, she kept to a gruelling training schedule, including early morning stilt walks around nearby Stewartby Lake. She said she fell a number of times, but was lucky to fall on grass – an option not available to her as she attempted to set a Guinness World Record on the streets of London.
‘Nobody is registered as the world record holder on stilts,’ she explained. ‘I have a bunch of friends following me around to support me with spare straps and spare stilt feet. It leaves me with a few bruises and blisters but they soon heal.’
Michelle has smashed her initial fundraising target, having raised more than £7000 for the charity, which provides support and information for the families of children with upper limb deficiencies.
She learned to stilt walk with the Scouts eight years ago and has been a semi-professional stilt-walker for the last four years. The idea of attempting the marathon, she said today, ‘was a crazy idea’ that for some reason she followed through.
It’s not too late to sponsor Michelle. If you would like to help her raise money for Reach, visit: www.justgiving.com/rainbowdave
