An eco-adventurer who has previously rowed across the Atlantic Ocean and cycled from the Orkney Islands to the Isle of Scilly is aiming to set another world record.
Isaac Kenyon,
originally from Hertfordshire but now based in Devon, will be
running this year’s London Marathon dressed as a tree to raise awareness
about the climate crisis and how we can all make an impact to help.
The 30-year-old is
hoping to break the World Record for the Fastest Marathon Dressed as a Tree,
while campaigning for Earth Day, which is happening the following day
on April 22, 2024.
He is hoping to
complete the event in around four hours, despite wearing the cumbersome tree
costume which weighs 7kg. The current record stands at four hours,
five minutes and six seconds.
Isaac is an experienced
runner who has previously completed a 230km run between the three highest peaks
in Wales. It is all part of a way-of-life that has seen him complete a host of adventures, including rowing across the
Atlantic, completing an Ironman wearing a weighted vest to represent the strain
of mental health issues, and climbing Mount Kilimanjaro.
The
motivational speaker, business owner and environmental campaigner first started
to take on endurance events as a way of tackling crippling anxiety. He found
that time in the countryside helped him to cope with his mental health issues
and embrace harmony in nature.
Part of
his mantra is to communicate the importance of getting out in the great
outdoors as a natural prescription for improving mental health, as well as
re-connecting with nature to learn to care, nurture and protect our precious
planet.
As well as being a
Trustee for Mind, Isaac is also a qualified geoscientist who founded an
award-winning media house and eco-adventure impact experience with Climate
Explorers CIC (community interest company) to help uncover climate
solutions and restore the Earth’s ecosystems.
His latest challenge
will see him once again attempt to merge the worlds of endurance sports and
environmental stewardship.
Isaac’s run – playfully
dubbed a tree-athlon – isn’t a solo endeavour, it’s a call to action with
fellow runners, spectators, and communities set to be inspired to join in on
taking climate action.
The challenge is taking
place in aid of Earth Day 2024, the largest civic event on the planet and one
which has seen 36 million volunteers help to clean up their area and led to
hundreds of millions of trees being planted.
On the day of the
event, Isaac will be sharing easy wins for saving our planet and distributing
wildflower seed to fellow runners and London Marathon organisers as a symbol of
his dedication to environmental sustainability.
He is also running to
raise awareness and funds for eco-adventures for underprivileged people, while
he will carbon offset during the race and for his travel to and from it. People
will be able to place donation bets on how much offset will be collected at the
end of the run-through partner Climate Games.
Isaac said: “The
outdoors has helped me in my anxiety battles over the years. Nature has always
been my answer.
“It has been
my entire life. It is important to me to protect nature on a personal level,
for my own wellbeing, but also for Earth’s eco-systems, which we are a part of.
Without good access to nature I’m not sure how my mental health and anxiety
would cope, it’s my lifeline and is vital for everyone else too.
“Taking on this
challenge is a way of giving back to nature which has saved my life and of
reminding people that every action, no matter how small, contributes to a
cleaner, greener world, and a bright future.”
10 years of Connected Biking at Bosch eBike Systems
Connectivity makes eBiking more customised, convenient and secure.
Bosch eBike Systems expands digital offerings for eBike manufacturers
Various app solutions, interfaces and services as the next step for the eBike experience of tomorrow
Most recent articles in RUNNING
The Myth of Diet
Why is diet such a contentious topic in ultrarunning and why do I call it a myth? These are the topics that I will discuss in this article.
Getting through the tough times
In my last piece for Outside & Active, I talked about what I believed the worst mistake a runner could make is.
Rise above it all in the new Brooks Cascadia 18
Brooks supports trail runners to defy limits and empower their trail runs with the new Cascadia 18. The adaptable Cascadia combines DNA Loft v2 cushioning with TrailTack Green grip and a durable upper mesh to handle all terrains, providing necessary comfort and underfoot security on each surface.