Royal Marine Smashes Half Marathon Record… With Fridge on His Back!
Sam Hammond, 30, the fearless Royal Marine from RNAS Culdrose in Cornwall, has crushed the existing Guinness World Record for running a half marathon carrying a fridge. His blistering finish time? A staggering 2 hours 4 minutes and 13 seconds – shattering the previous 2 hour 45-minute mark.
Meet ‘Fridget Jones’: Running for Charity
Known as ‘Fridget Jones’, Sam has been lugging white goods across the country to raise cash for SSAFA, a charity supporting the Armed Forces and their families. Before setting off for the Brighton Half Marathon, he said:
“I’ve been doing this a while to raise money for charity and wanted to take it up a gear. I aimed to break the half marathon fridge-carry record first, then the full marathon at the London Marathon later this year. I knew I could beat 2 hours 45.”
He added:
“Being away on deployment for months hits the family hard. SSAFA supports families when the troops can’t, and that’s why this cause means so much to me.”
The Heavy, Bulky Challenge of Running with a Fridge
The official Guinness minimum fridge weight for the record is 25kg. Sam’s fridge tips the scales at 26kg – roughly the weight of an eight-year-old child.
But it’s not just the weight that challenges him. Sam explained:
“The fridge’s bulk means the weight isn’t snug against my back like a backpack, making it way harder to carry. Plus, every practice run attracts loads of questions – I can barely run 10 minutes before being stopped!”
Battle-Scarred But Undeterred
Just before his record attempt, Sam had surgery to remove a benign lump from his chest. He revealed:
“The stitches are right where the fridge straps go – couldn’t have picked a worse time! Resting was tough because I’m not used to being still, but now I’m itching to get training again.”
Want to back this incredible feat? Support Sam’s fundraising efforts for SSAFA and help our forces’ families.
