World record: a woman ran a marathon in a polar bear costume for a noble purpose (5 photos)

A British teacher ran a marathon in northern Norway with a noble goal - to raise money for cancer research. She dedicated her Guinness World Record to her father, who died of cancer.





54-year-old British teacher Jill became a new Guinness World Record holder by running a marathon dressed as a polar bear in under five hours and raising money for a cancer research foundation.



The woman took part in the PolarNight marathon, which was held in the Norwegian city of Tromso. She managed to run the marathon (42.2 km) in 4 hours 58 minutes 29 seconds and set a record for the fastest marathon run in a mammal costume among women.





The course itself runs through a harsh mountain pass in the dark, with participants battling temperatures of around -10°C. However, Jill managed to reach the final and added her winnings to the Cancer Research UK (CRUK) fundraiser. She also dedicated her run to her father Michael, who died of cancer in 1999 at the age of 56.

"It was a great privilege to run the prestigious PolarNight Marathon in Tromsø. Norway's biggest winter race showed us all the hostile, tough and challenging conditions. It was an incredible adventure to run in such a stunning landscape with kindred spirits and raise money for a great cause at the same time. My last marathon was in Athens so the temperatures were a little different, but what a privilege!" she says, adding that her polar bear costume has become the mascot for the charity CRUK, for which she is raising funds.



Jill says she lost her father at a young age to bile duct cancer, and that this devastating event sparked her fundraising for CRUK.

"There probably isn't a family in the UK or anywhere in the world that hasn't had someone affected by this terrible disease. So I'll continue to do everything I can to support CRUK in their vital work. For almost 27 years I've been raising money and awareness to beat cancer and I've now raised over £1.96 million and I'm truly grateful to all my supporters," the runner says, adding that beating cancer has "never been more important or relevant,"



The Brit adds that her main goal is to raise funding for incredible researchers to keep them on the path to new discoveries and advances in cancer prevention, testing and treatment.

"So I will continue until we reach the final result... a world without cancer!" - said the new Guinness World Record holder.