Breaking records for a cause

Machins Solicitors is celebrating a remarkable achievement by family law partner Paul Owen.

Alongside nine friends from his local running club Happy Feet, he set a new Guinness World Record at this year’s London Marathon in support of Pancreatic Cancer UK.

In April, Paul joined teammates Graham Surge, Chris and Fran Setterfield, Richard Yeeles, Jodie Simpson, Marcela Bell, Julie Pritchett and Claire and Simon Short to take on the worldfamous 26.2-mile challenge in a truly creative and meaningful way. Their goal was simple if a little out there: to break the record for the fastest marathon in a 10-person costume, dressed as 10 test tubes in a giant test-tube rack.

The team, affectionately dubbed the Happy Test Tubes, trained tirelessly in the months leading up to the event, forced to combine endurance with becoming accustomed to the practicality of running while tethered together in a heavy costume that was guaranteed to turn some heads in the capital on race day. The group were supported by multiple sponsors, including Machins Solicitors, who backed the initiative from the outset with a donation of £1,000.

Driven by a deep personal connection, the group ran in memory of John Sturge, the father of team organiser Graham, who sadly passed away from pancreatic cancer. Their mission was not only to raise awareness but also to contribute vital funds towards early detection research for what is the UK’s deadliest common cancer.

The team produced a phenomenal performance, completing the marathon in five hours, 41 minutes and 47 seconds – an incredible 51 minutes faster than the previous record. Their record-breaking effort drew widespread admiration, not only for the physical challenge but for the effort the team clearly put in to completing the race.

Thanks to generous public support, the team were able to raise over £109,000, far surpassing their original target and contributing a substantial sum that will go towards Pancreatic Cancer UK’s £2 million fundraising campaign.

For Paul, a passionate runner and founder of the Hospice of St Francis Running Club in Berkhamsted, the event might have been a challenging one, but it was also a personal and professional high point that will live long in the memory of each member of the team. Having completed more than 100 marathons, including a staggering nine London Marathons, he described this year’s race as his most memorable.

He said: “There was such a tide of positive joy around the course. We were cheered on throughout the entire race. This was my ninth London Marathon but definitely the most special. We’re grateful to everyone who supported us and helped us to raise much-needed funds for Pancreatic Cancer UK.”

We went from shutting down the business to making £1-2 million a month. We went from zero revenue to £20 million a year overnight. We had a big pool of casual workers for events, so we deployed them to help with the pandemic.

Arsalan Khan, K4 Group CEO