LONDON, Oct. 16 (Xinhua) -- A student from the Royal Birmingham Conservatoire has mixed his love of music and athletics to break a Guinness World Record by running the fastest marathon dressed as a musical instrument.
Wearing a custom-made viola costume, Alistair Rutherford, 21, ran the Birmingham International Marathon Sunday with a time of three hours, 20 minutes and 33 seconds. He beat the previous record by 53 minutes and 45 seconds.
Created by Merseyside-based designer Brian D Hanlon, Rutherford's outfit was made from lightweight foam and comes complete with a striking headpiece that mimics the shape of the viola's neck and pegbox.
Rutherford, from Liverpool, said: "Running the Birmingham International Marathon wasn't easy, particularly in my costume. I am planning on resting 'the Running Viola' for the moment, unless someone breaks my records."
Rutherford's musical race is expected to raise thousands of pounds for a project to promote music among deprived students aged eight and 17 in South Africa.
