Brighton Students Help 70-Year-Old Runner Prepare For Treadmill Marathon World Record Attempt

Tuesday, 22 November 2022 10:14

By Dominic Kureen @WriteOnDom

Two University of Brighton Masters students have been helping a 70-year-old Eastbourne runner on his quest for a world record.

Neil Kirby, who had a full hip replacement only two years ago, is hoping to mark his 70^th birthday by becoming the first person over 70 to complete a marathon on a treadmill.

Neil completed his first marathon in 1981 at the age of 29.

To prepare himself for this latest challenge, Neil worked with students at the University of Brighton’s Eastbourne campus to complete a range of physiological and strength and conditioning assessments and to gain experience on the treadmill.

Students Oli Georgiou (pictured above) and Anya Gough, were among the team testing Neil’s lactate threshold, running economy, lung function, body composition and functional movement.

Over the span of the last 41 years, he has completed 50 full marathons and 211 half marathons, with personal bests of two hours 53 minutes and one hour 17 minutes, respectively.

Neil will be making the attempt outside the Langham Hotel – which he owns – on Eastbourne’s seafront from 10am on Saturday (November 26).

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