Wednesday, March 28, 2007

British Man "Out Gumps" Forrest Gump For Guiness World Record...

Briton Is First Man To Run Around The World

Forty-year-old Briton Robert Garside, seen here in India in 2003. Garside was on Tuesday officially certified by Guinness World Records as the first person to have run around the world.(AFP/File/Ravi Raveendran)
March 27,2007
A British man was on Tuesday officially certified by Guinness World Records as the first person to have run around the world.

Robert Garside, 40, said he was "so happy and relieved" after receiving his certificate in London as it had taken him nearly four years to fight claims that he had exaggerated his feat.

The self-described "Runningman" ran 35,000 miles (56,000 kilometres) across 30 countries, taking five years and eight months to complete his unprecedented journey.

Garside got more than just blisters and a certificate to show for his efforts.

"I met my wife on the run in Venezuela and she has been very supportive," he said.

Since finishing in June 2003, the Briton has faced accusations that he was exaggerating his achievements and has spent the years since compiling evidence.

Marco Frigatti, Guinness's head of records, was convinced that Garside followed the rules.

His team ploughed though video footage, local news reports, credit card receipts and statements from witnesses saying Garside ran the route.

"It is genuine," Frigatti confirmed.

"I have approved many records and this record had an astronomical amount of evidence and it could be cross-checked so we are happy and satisfied."

During his journey, Garside slept in the snow in the Himalayas, and at a monastery in Tibet, and also had to out-run thieves in Mexico and hot-foot it from gunmen in Panama.

He even spent five nights in a Chinese jail for not having the right travel documents.

In December 1996, Garside set out from Piccadilly Circus in the heart of London on his first attempt to jog around the world.

Then a 29-year-old psychology student, that attempt had to be abandoned when war broke out in Afghanistan.

It was only on his fourth try -- beginning at India Gate in New Delhi the following year -- that he succeeded, ending up back in the Indian capital in June 2003.

"I am unbelievably happy that an incredibly long project has finally ended up on a positive note," Garside said in remarks timed for Tuesday's ceremony in Piccadilly Circus.

"I am so happy and relieved and I am so grateful to all those people all over the world who helped me throughout the years I was running."

3 comments:

Anonymous said...

Please let your readers check this link:

http://web.archive.org/web/20040211131848/www.ultramarathonworld.com/uw_archive/garside.html

Chris said...

People are so quick to jump to the heckler's mob on this one . . The reality of this is that he accomplished something no one else has even ATTEMPTED before in the history of man . . Of course there are holes in his story, it's got to take a slightly mad, self involved sociopath with a God complex to literally stay on the road for YEARS at a time . . He did this while carrying a pack, without consistent money, food and/or shelter . . The fact is, this guy didn't do the minimum distance to qualify . . he actually greatly exceeded the Guinness requirements for his world run . . So even if there are a holes in the story, it's still a great one, and well deserving of recognition . . If anyone wants to steal the glory, just grab a crew and hit the road for a few years, no big deal . . Until then, take it with the same grain of salt required to be entertained by all the 'Based on a True Story' movies and books out there . .

Robert said...

Thanks W.E. A.L.L. B.E. and Chris... web surfers can see http://uk.reuters.com/article/idUKL2666293420070328 and http://www.robertgarside.com for more, if you so desire... Robert