Meet the runner who tackled the London Marathon dressed as a Hull telephone box
DISTINCTIVE OUTFIT GAINED PLENTY OF ATTENTION
THE red phone boxes of the UK’S capital were left looking rather mundane when an iconic cream telephone box, only found in Hull, took to the track of the London Marathon.
Lucas Meagor, 46, who lives in Hull, donned the distinctive outfit, complete with “rust marks and bird droppings,” as he attempted to break the world record for the fastest London Marathon run dressed as a telephone box, which is currently held by a man from Hessle.
The unusual outfit drew a large amount of attention on Sunday, October 3. From TV crews, to fellow runners, people flocked to take snaps of the Hull phone box.
Mr Meagor, venue transport manager with the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games, said: “London is an amazing event to do and the crowds take you round. The crowds were absolutely brilliant as we were going round from the get go.
“Even before we started, I had other people and runners asking to take pictures and selfies with me. I had runners taking selfies with me as they ran past or I ran past them and they’re all brilliant and very friendly – that’s the camaraderie of the London Marathon.”
However, the bulky phone box costume caused some issues when the wind picked up, which caused Mr Meagor to miss out on stealing the world record.
“We managed to get round the first 15 miles together no problem, all on target – I even did a TV interview with the BBC at Tower Bridge.
“Then, as we went round the Isle of
Dogs, we hit a head wind, which isn’t very helpful when you’re in a phone box, it’s not very aerodynamic, and that completely threw all the plans. You almost just ended up trying to walk into it
“But, I knew even if the world record fell, the experience would remain to be awesome especially after two years without a London marathon. That in its self made it fantastic,” he said.
Nevertheless, the attention gained by Mr Meagor’s costume sparked plenty of donations to his chosen charity – LAM Action – for which he continues to fundraise online.
“We just enjoyed the atmosphere. We got a lot more loud noise than in a normal situation, because the phone box got a lot of attention and we got round in four hours 33 minutes. As I ran up the finish line the TV picked me up again and broadcast me running up the line live.
“I’d gone out on TV several times and got a lot of TV coverage by default of being in a costume that stood out and that brought in lots of fundraising,” he said.
The costume was based on a photo of a real KCOM phone box and Mr Meagor’s run was actually sponsored by the communications service provider.
Mr Meagor, who runs out of Beverley Athletics Club, enlisted the help of his friends, director at Hessle Theatre Company Martin Beaumont, photographer John Drury and Liz Dunning to help design and create the distinctive attire he would wear for the marathon.
Local businesses also got involved with the record attempt, including Scribes Digital Print who printed the complimentary box.
He added: “As long as that phone box record isn’t broken by anybody else, then I’ll be back at London in the phone box making a second attempt.”