My Guide to Running in a Gorilla Suit

I am partial to a bit of monkey running!

I first got the idea back in March 2011 when I had the Liverpool Half Marathon coming up.  I'd just ran a 31-miler and a 20-miler so knew I could 'up my game' for the half marathon to generate more awareness of my running for autism.  At first, I thought I'd run it in my american football gear, to get the attentions of my former american football team-mates.  But then, I still had a gorilla suit I'd borrowed off my 'brother from another mother' Stu.  So, I trained it in it one Monday and Wednesday night and was ready for the Liverpool Half.

My Guide to 'Running in a Gorilla Suit'

• First of all, it's hard to tell where you're going.  I can see where I'm going, but only just.  I use a bandana over the top of the mask to keep it in place, but the eye-holes are only so big.  It can get quite disorientating, especially after running 20 miles in the Liverpool Marathon!
• Secondly, you sweat - a lot.  You only have to walk around in the thing and you start sweating, which means you have to drink water, constantly.  If you don't drink constantly, you quickly get a headache from dehydration, which isn't good.
• You get tons of support.  It's the reason I did it.  The support from the crowds in Liverpool have been electric, amazing.
• You get lots of the same joke - constantly.  Now, I'm gonna sound like a grumpy old man now, but the 'Do you want a banana?' and the 'It must be hot!' comments wear a bit thin after a while.  I know, I know, I'm a grumpy old man.  But it's part of the challenge that you have to prepare for psychologically.  After 8 miles of the Liverpool Marathon, I was getting loads of the same comments which was hard to deal with, so I stuck my earphones on and chilled out with some White Album from The Beatles.
• And finally, the kids absolutely love it.  It's worth it just to see how many laughs you get from kids in the crowd.

• My training video and my Liverpool Half Marathon Video

 

The Liverpool Half was amazing fun!  Then, in September I started to have the idea for the Liverpool Marathon.  I'd already just run a marathon at the end of August, and so knew I had the long-term stamina.  The Liverpool Marathon was a huge event.  Even if I couldn't manage it, I knew it would give great publicity to the National Autistic Society.