“Run, run, as fast as you can” – is exactly what Richard Kell did last year when he broke the record for fastest marathon dressed as a gingerbread man.

If you think that Richard is an ordinary man who likes running in odd costumes – you are absolutely right! However, there’s much more to this – just keep reading his story…

It all started with a simple determination to get fit and drop the couch potato lifestyle (which I am sure we all can relate to). In 2008, Richard Kell decided to take on a serious challenge, to run his first marathon and raise some money for Help for Heroes – a charity that helps those suffering life-changing injuries while serving the country in Iraq and Afghanistan wars.

One marathon followed another and soon Richard was counting his 20th, 50th, and finally, 120th (!!!) marathon. He does regular runs, ultra-marathons and actively participates in other charity fundraising events such as “soapathon” – a soap opera-inspired run for 300 miles, and Only Fools and Horses inspired 314-mile-run from Peckham to Cornwall dressed as a Batman.

As you can tell, marathons play a major part in Richard’s lifestyle and have become a hobby. But life has not been easy for Richard and there have been lots of challenges along the way. During his run from Peckham to Cornwall, he was stopped by the police several times – apparently, some drivers reported a suspicious man dressed as Batman running on a busy road with a baby in a buggy, who actually was a doll in Robin’s outfit. Luckily, Richard managed to finish the run with no further distractions :)

Looking for more challenges, Richard came up with the idea of breaking the Guinness World record for fastest marathon dressed as a gingerbread man. And so he did.

With this amazing achievement in his hands, Richard is not planning to stop anytime soon. He has planned some exciting and yet unbelievably challenging marathons – Gin Pit marathon, Comrades ultra marathon and 100 mile run in California, to name a few. One may ask, where does the motivation come from?

“Well, I am always trying to find a different angle to interest people and create awareness of what I’m doing and create a reason to donate money again” – says Richard.

He admits that raising money may seem hard at first, but people should not be put off by it as there are many generous people out there, and the charity will be always grateful for any kind of donation or support.

“When I did my Soaphaton, I was surprised how generous strangers have been, putting notes in a collection tin for a person they’ve never met” – he says.

Every little helps, and Richard is the best example that one person can make a difference. It is easy to make the first step and start making world a better place. Even if you are not planning to run marathons like Richard, you can still register with GoRaise and support a good cause with just a few clicks and without spending an extra penny. Our retailers will simply donate a percentage of the purchases you make online to your chosen charity or good cause. Sounds amazing? (and definitely requires less effort than running an ultra-marathon).

“It really is so simple and I like all the helpful tools and support you get to use GoRaise”– says Richard.

Speaking of his next plans, Richard’s next challenge will be the London Marathon on 23rd of April, and he will attempt to break another Guinness World Record dressed as a love heart!

So let’s show some love for Richard and a wonderful charity Help for Heroes!