May 29th 2024.
On May 26th, at the Edinburgh Marathon Festival, a determined Scottish runner overcame a broken sporran chain to set a new world record for running a marathon in full Highland dress. Stephen Molloy, a 33-year-old engineer from Liberton, Edinburgh, shaved an impressive 2 minutes and 24 seconds off the previous record for the 26.2-mile distance.
Despite facing a setback early on in the race, Stephen remained determined to achieve his goal. Around seven miles into the run, his kilt accessory was damaged, causing him to lose two minutes as he stopped to repair it. This was a crucial moment for Stephen, as he needed to ensure that he followed the strict rules set by Guinness World Records in order to have his record officially recognized.
But Stephen did not let this obstacle defeat him. He quickly fixed his garment and continued on his journey, all while raising funds for My Name'5 Doddie Foundation. So far, he has raised an impressive £4,500 and counting.
In the end, Stephen crossed the finish line with a time of 3:17:48, beating the previous record of 3:20:12 set by Benjamin Denis Bilyard from Canada. However, he still has to wait for official confirmation from Guinness World Records before he can officially claim the title of world record holder.
Reflecting on his achievement, Stephen said, "I couldn't be happier - unofficially at this stage - to break the Guinness World Record. I was a bit worried about the weather forecast, and it turned out that I had reason to be. The rain was torrential for the first hour, but it ended up being a blessing in disguise as it kept me cool throughout the race."
However, the heavy rain also made running in a kilt a bit more challenging. "The added weight of the highly absorbent Doddie Weir tartan kilt was very noticeable once I was soaked through, which made for a very uncomfortable run," Stephen shared.
But he did not let that stop him. Even when his sporran chain broke and he had to stop for two minutes to fix it, Stephen remained focused on his goal. "The Guinness World Record rules are strict, and all attire has to be firmly in place for the full duration of the run. Fortunately, I had a strong start and was able to hit the halfway point in just 1 hour and 30 minutes, giving me a good buffer."
However, as the race went on and the sun came out, Stephen faced a new challenge - overheating. "I started to struggle around 19 miles when the sun came out and I started to overheat. But I was determined to push through and finish inside the time on home turf," he said.
And Stephen's determination paid off. He not only achieved his goal of breaking the world record, but he also felt the incredible support from the crowd along the way. "The support on the course was unmatched. So many people had heard about what I was doing and cheered me on, especially when I was coming back into Musselburgh and really needed the added encouragement."
Stephen also shared that the memory of Doddie Weir, the inspiration behind his fundraising efforts, kept him going during the toughest moments of the race. "To run inside the time on home turf was just incredible, and I'm so proud of the result and the money raised for My Name'5 Doddie Foundation. Thank you to everyone who has donated so far."
For those who want to learn more about Stephen's journey or make a donation, they can visit the JustGiving page that he and his friend Ewan have set up. And for more inspiring stories like this one, readers can subscribe to Scottish Field to read the latest issue.
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