Marine sets latest backpack world record (From Crewe Guardian)

Marine sets latest backpack world record

7:00am Saturday 15th December 2012 in News

AN EX-MARINE from Crewe has smashed the world record for running 10 kilometres with a 40lb backpack.

Lee Riley did it in 41 minutes 24 seconds – breaking the Guinness World Record by four minutes 40 seconds.

Lee, a fitness instructor, already holds the record for running 400 metres, one mile, five kilometres, a half marathon and full marathon carrying a 40lb pack.

Having broken some of those twice he now has nine world records to his name.

He broke the backpack record in the Helena Tipping 10k road race in Wrexham.

Lee, who left the Royal Marine Commandos five years ago, said: “It’s about keeping your pride and keeping your standard up without being in the force.”

The 40lb pack is equivalent to “assault weight” – the weight of equipment Marines would go into battle with – and was the most common weight such challenges had been done with in the past, he said.

He ran the London Marathon in 2011 with the 40lb and smashed the previous record by 41 minutes.

Lee said: “The thing I’m most proud of is being the first ever athlete in any discipline to hold the record – for sprinting all the way up to marathon distance – and I’ve done it all in under two years.

“I found I had a talent, it keeps me fit, I enjoy it and I’ve raised more than £5,000 for charity, mainly Help the Heroes.”

He said he was open to suggestions for an even bigger challenge for the First World War centenary in 2014.

“I want to do something no-one else has done, maybe swimming the Channel with my pack. It seems a bit barking, but I’m looking for a big challenge,” he said.