Honorary Royal Marine breaks Guinness world record for fastest marathon on crutches
An honorary Royal Marine says he runs faster with his green beret on after becoming an official world record holder for completing the fastest marathon on crutches.
Film-maker Chris Terrill broke the Guinness world record for the fastest marathon time on crutches.
After recovering from a full hip replacement, he decided to take on the Brighton marathon despite doctors' concerns.
And, after completing the marathon, he told BFBS Forces News he wasn't even aware there was a record to be had.
Mr Terrill completed the run while wearing the famous Royal Marine Commando's green beret, an accolade he won after taking on the 32 week Commando Course in 2007.
He said it cost him "a lot of blood, sweat and tears" after completing the training ahead of embedding with the Royal Marines as a film-maker.
He said it gave him "licence" and "credibility".
"Above all, I think… it kind of turned my life around," he said.
"I was 55 when I got it and it showed me that actually the Royal Marines, they work by virtue of a certain ethos, a certain approach to life.
"You've got to keep smiling, even if it's through gritted teeth."
He said he always wears the beret on the marathon runs, where he raises money for the Royal Navy and Royal Marines Charity (RNRMC).
"It doesn't help in a physical way, but it does in an emotional way," he said. "It gives you that sense of added determination, of added strength.
"I know it's all in the mind, but it helps me. I run faster with the green beret on, that's for sure."
But getting the record wasn't easy, with Mr Terrill unaware there was even a record to be broken.
He said he was stopping for selfies with Royal Marine friends and, had he known there was a record at stake, he would have "cracked on".
Despite this, he finished with a time of 6 hours, 11 minutes and 11 seconds, "pretty well double [his] normal two-legged running time".
It was only weeks later that a friend from his running club alerted him to the fact that he had beaten the world record for a marathon on crutches for a man, which had stood at 6 hours, 24 minutes and 48 seconds.
“I contacted Guinness World Records and they said, 'well, that might be the case, but we weren't there to witness it and we can't give it to you retrospectively'," Mr Terrill explained.
He said it was through the involvement of the Brighton Marathon organisers that he got his record.
"It's taken nearly a year, but just last week or so, they wrote me a letter saying 'We're thrilled to tell you you're the new world record holder'." Now back on two legs, Chris is due to attempt this year's Brighton marathon in April.
Once again, he'll be raising funds for the RNRMC charity and wearing his much-prized green beret.
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