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| London Marathon: 'People love my costume - animals are confused' | London Marathon: 'People love my costume - animals are confused' |
| (about 5 hours later) | |
| Laura Baker and Georgie Box have been making preparations for the big day | Laura Baker and Georgie Box have been making preparations for the big day |
| Trainers? Check. Water? Check. Sun cream? Check. Inflatable shark costume? | Trainers? Check. Water? Check. Sun cream? Check. Inflatable shark costume? |
| It's the London Marathon this weekend, and it wouldn't be the nation's favourite long-distance running event without a healthy dose of fancy dress. | It's the London Marathon this weekend, and it wouldn't be the nation's favourite long-distance running event without a healthy dose of fancy dress. |
| And some of the participants, who've been wrangling with their outfits for months, will have some extra packing to do before Sunday. | And some of the participants, who've been wrangling with their outfits for months, will have some extra packing to do before Sunday. |
| But it's not always a chilled exercise, as one man training with a fridge on his back found out when police mistook him for a thief. | But it's not always a chilled exercise, as one man training with a fridge on his back found out when police mistook him for a thief. |
| And while Georgie Box, who's planning to complete the race dressed a shark, has never been stopped by the law, she admits to the odd unwanted pursuit. | And while Georgie Box, who's planning to complete the race dressed a shark, has never been stopped by the law, she admits to the odd unwanted pursuit. |
| "The dogs do not like the costume," she tells BBC Newsbeat. | "The dogs do not like the costume," she tells BBC Newsbeat. |
| "They chase me and bark at me. | "They chase me and bark at me. |
| "All the people love it. But yeah, animals are a bit confused. So that's been a little bit of a challenge." | "All the people love it. But yeah, animals are a bit confused. So that's been a little bit of a challenge." |
| The 28-year-old, from Stratford-upon-Avon, will be raising money for homelessness charity Shelter and says she wanted to do something "that was challenging but also fun and would bring a smile to people's faces". | The 28-year-old, from Stratford-upon-Avon, will be raising money for homelessness charity Shelter and says she wanted to do something "that was challenging but also fun and would bring a smile to people's faces". |
| While it won't be a cakewalk, Laura's confident her marathon won't end in tiers | While it won't be a cakewalk, Laura's confident her marathon won't end in tiers |
| Training for the 26.2 mile (42km) street race is a challenge in any circumstances, but training in fancy dress adds an extra layer. | Training for the 26.2 mile (42km) street race is a challenge in any circumstances, but training in fancy dress adds an extra layer. |
| Georgie's already had to return one costume which she says she couldn't breathe in and, like a real shark, she says she "can't see very well" in her new one. | Georgie's already had to return one costume which she says she couldn't breathe in and, like a real shark, she says she "can't see very well" in her new one. |
| And she probably won't be able to return this one after the marathon, as she admits it can get more than a little stuffy inside. | And she probably won't be able to return this one after the marathon, as she admits it can get more than a little stuffy inside. |
| "I've done a couple of park runs in it and it's been very hot," Georgie says. | "I've done a couple of park runs in it and it's been very hot," Georgie says. |
| "I've had to make a fair few adjustments, some ice packs, some hydration inside the costume." | "I've had to make a fair few adjustments, some ice packs, some hydration inside the costume." |
| Completing the gruelling course takes guts - but so does stepping out for training dressed as a wedding cake. | Completing the gruelling course takes guts - but so does stepping out for training dressed as a wedding cake. |
| That's what Georgie's fellow fancy dress runner Laura Baker has had to contend with. | |
| "I haven't had the guts to train in my costume in London," says the 27-year-old from Peterborough. | "I haven't had the guts to train in my costume in London," says the 27-year-old from Peterborough. |
| "Thankfully, I come from a village so I had a little jog around the park there and nobody saw me." | "Thankfully, I come from a village so I had a little jog around the park there and nobody saw me." |
| With 48,000 runners taking part and millions of TV spectators, Laura, who's raising money for the Wedding Wishing Well Foundation, admits she won't be able to hide on Sunday. | With 48,000 runners taking part and millions of TV spectators, Laura, who's raising money for the Wedding Wishing Well Foundation, admits she won't be able to hide on Sunday. |
| "I think people will be thinking 'what the hell is that?'," she says. | "I think people will be thinking 'what the hell is that?'," she says. |
| "Being amongst other runners with costumes is really going to help." | "Being amongst other runners with costumes is really going to help." |
| Georgie wants to cross the fin-ish line as a record breaker | Georgie wants to cross the fin-ish line as a record breaker |
| Both Georgie and Laura have been mostly training without their fancy dress and hope that, come the big day, it'll be a piece of cake. | Both Georgie and Laura have been mostly training without their fancy dress and hope that, come the big day, it'll be a piece of cake. |
| "I'm hoping the adrenaline will just get me through it," says Laura. | "I'm hoping the adrenaline will just get me through it," says Laura. |
| And for the cherry on top, she's also hoping to claim the title of fastest marathon runner dressed as a sweet food. | And for the cherry on top, she's also hoping to claim the title of fastest marathon runner dressed as a sweet food. |
| London Marathon's top costumes from past to present | London Marathon's top costumes from past to present |
| World record bid for 10-person bus costume runners | World record bid for 10-person bus costume runners |
| How to watch the London Marathon live on BBC | How to watch the London Marathon live on BBC |
| She'll have to beat the time set by Anna Bassil in 2021, who completed the London Marathon in four hours, 20 minutes and 12 seconds as a cupcake. | She'll have to beat the time set by Anna Bassil in 2021, who completed the London Marathon in four hours, 20 minutes and 12 seconds as a cupcake. |
| Meanwhile Georgie's hoping she'll take the prize for the fastest female to run a marathon in a full-body inflatable costume. | Meanwhile Georgie's hoping she'll take the prize for the fastest female to run a marathon in a full-body inflatable costume. |
| Steven Waters set the men's record last year, completing the London event in four hours, 15 minutes and two seconds while wearing an inflatable pterodactyl costume. | Steven Waters set the men's record last year, completing the London event in four hours, 15 minutes and two seconds while wearing an inflatable pterodactyl costume. |
| Guinness World Records told Newsbeat it'll have a team in place on Sunday to verify 79 World Record attempts by 90 runners. | Guinness World Records told Newsbeat it'll have a team in place on Sunday to verify 79 World Record attempts by 90 runners. |
| Georgie says when she has taken her costume out, it's turned heads as well as tides and she's hoping for more of the same on Sunday. | Georgie says when she has taken her costume out, it's turned heads as well as tides and she's hoping for more of the same on Sunday. |
| "Hopefully I get some high fives as the other runners all overtake me," she says. | "Hopefully I get some high fives as the other runners all overtake me," she says. |
| "A pat on the fin... I'll take anything." | "A pat on the fin... I'll take anything." |
| Watch the London Marathon live on BBC TV, BBC iPlayer, BBC Sport website and app from 08:30 BST on Sunday 21 April | Watch the London Marathon live on BBC TV, BBC iPlayer, BBC Sport website and app from 08:30 BST on Sunday 21 April |
| Listen to Newsbeat live at 12:45 and 17:45 weekdays - or listen back here. | Listen to Newsbeat live at 12:45 and 17:45 weekdays - or listen back here. |
| Related Topics | Related Topics |
| Peterborough | Peterborough |
| Stratford-upon-Avon | Stratford-upon-Avon |
| London Marathon | London Marathon |
| Marathon running | Marathon running |
| Fundraising | Fundraising |
| Coventry & Warwickshire | Coventry & Warwickshire |