Records book turns down Ray
Stafford's 'running paramedic' has had his bid to get into the record books turned down.
Ray Edensor says he was "gutted" after Guinness World Records said his bid to run the fastest-ever 13 miles in an airtight decontamination suit was "not interesting enough".
At the age of 50, Ray is running 25 half marathons in 25 days, finishing with the world record attempt during the annual Stafford event on Sunday.
He said he had assumed his world record attempt would be accepted. However, he read the bombshell news in an email last night and says he now feels as though he has let the people of Stafford down.
The ambulanceman, who has raised hundreds of thousands of pounds for charity over the years, also said he was on course to shatter the existing unofficial record for running a half marathon in a protective suit, which is currently set at three hours.
Ray had got his time down to just two-and-a-half hours over the course of the 18 half marathons he has already run in the sweltering suit, as well as working his shifts as a paramedic at the same time.
Ray, who was set to start his 19th marathon this afternoon, told the Express & Star: "After doing your 18th half marathon and then being turned down, it's a bit of a blow. I feel totally gutted to be honest."
In the email, which says the decision is "final", Guinness World Records told Ray: "While we certainly do not underestimate your proposal, we do however think that this item is a little too specialised for a body of reference as general as ours. We receive many thousands of record claims every year and we think you will appreciate that we are bound to favour those which reflect the greatest interest."
Ray said: "They are basically saying that it's not interesting enough."
