Tim Peake breaks record for fastest marathon in space

Running enthusiast Tim Peake wasn’t going to let a little detail like being aboard the International Space Station stop him from participating in the annual London Marathon.

Running simultaneously with the London Marathon, the British astronaut actually grabbed the world records for the fastest marathon in space, with a time of 3 hours, 35 minutes and 21 seconds. However, rather than travel 26.2 miles, Peake actually circled the Earth twice with his run.

A representative from Guinness World Records was on hand to document Peake’s historic feat.

“It’s official,” the official said. “Tim Peake is the proud holder of a Guinness World Record title.”

Coping with the effects of space on the body

On the ISS, Peake was carrying only 70 percent of his bodyweight, however, his body had been affected by living in space for four several weeks. From the moment astronauts arrive in space, the battle is on to help save their hearts, muscles, and bones from weakening due to weightlessness. The daily training routine slows the wasting, but does not stop it completely.

The system that anchored Peake to the treadmill places the weight securely on the hips and shoulders. The elastic bungee cord pulled him in a way gravity does not. Eventually, the harness begins to dig in. Under the straps, scrapes and strain sores form, making this marathon more painful than most.

In space, astronauts exercise for around two hours daily to prevent their aerobic fitness and muscle strength from falling off significantly.

In space, astronauts exercise for around two hours per day to keep their aerobic fitness and strength from eroding. In the months prior to the run, Patrick Jaekel, Peake’s exercise consultant, adjusted his routine to place more focus on his shoulders, back, and core muscles. To lessen the chance of tissue damage, the pair refined Peake’s running posture.

He absolutely must not injure himself. He cannot injure himself,” Jaekel said before the event, according to The Guardian.

The first person to run a marathon in space was NASA’s Sunita Williams, who ran alongside the Boston marathon in 2007 to a time of 4 hours and 24 minutes. Each runner had different harnesses and carried different loads.

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Image credit: NASA/ESA

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