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Parents of Rose Hill School students attempt Guinness World Record by running from John O'Groats to Lands End

Twelve parents of students at a Tunbridge Wells school are attempting to set a Guinness World Record, by running nearly 1500km in under six days.

The runners, who met on the playground of Rose Hill School, on Coniston Avenue, plan to complete a relay from John O'Groats to Lands End to be the first team to run the distance.

Not only will the team be running the equivalent of the M25 eight times, they also hope to raise thousands of pounds for Children’s Alzheimer’s charity, Niemann-Pick Research.To ensure they set the record each person will need to keep a pace of 12km per hour, covering roughly two-thirds of the average marathon every day. It is also estimated an average of 6,000 calories will be consumed per person, daily.

The runners set a Guinness World Record. Pic: Jeremy Timms
The runners set a Guinness World Record. Pic: Jeremy Timms

One person has set a record of running it alone in nine days, however, this twelve-strong team hopes to make history while raising a lot of money in the process.

Simon Crotty, a runner whose day job is a City worker commented, "A few of the parents from my children’s school in Tunbridge Wells were also talking about a challenge and we decided to do it together.

"We wanted something monumental so naturally a Guinness World record was an obvious choice and the length of Great Britain sounded fitting, too."When one of the team mentioned their friend's son suffered from Niemann-Pick C, a very rare terminal neurodegenerative disease, they immediately and unanimously agreed that the world record attempt should be in aid raising £50,000 for research.

The runners will go from the tip of Scotland, to the boot of England, covering a total distance of 1487km/923 miles.
The runners will go from the tip of Scotland, to the boot of England, covering a total distance of 1487km/923 miles.

The team have received support by various sports personalities including Lord Coe, Tim Henman Lawrence Dallaglio, and Clare Balding.

The run commences on April 28, to find out more, and to donate, click here.

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