Milbank trainee sets sights on marathon world record as ‘Captain Underpants’

Fastest fictional character

A trainee solicitor at Milbank is set to swap deal documents for running shoes this month, as he bids to break a Guinness World Record at the London Marathon dressed as none other than Captain Underpants.

Archie Hunt, currently a fourth-seat tax trainee, is aiming to clock a time of 2 hours 30 minutes or less while in full costume, in an attempt to become the fastest marathon runner dressed as a fictional character.

But this is no case of simply throwing on a cape and heading to the start line. “Guinness are, as you’d expect, quite particular about the whole thing,” Hunt explains. “You have to apply in advance, get the category approved, and then properly match the character on the day, which turns out to be more involved than just throwing on a cape and hoping for the best.”

Captain Underpants was something Hunt read growing up and he’s gone all in on the costume, even going as far as to make his own headband and decorate his race shoes with a red Sharpie to match.

On race day, he’ll also need to gather official timing data, witness statements and photographic evidence before submitting a full application post-run.

Hunt is fundraising for Evelina London Children’s Charity, which is linked to the hospital where he receives treatment for dilated cardiomyopathy — a condition affecting the heart’s ability to pump blood efficiently.

“I see the work they do up close, particularly with children and families,” he says. “I didn’t find out about my condition until later in life, so I’m quite aware of the difference early diagnosis can make.”

Balancing marathon training with life at a top US firm has required discipline, and a lot of early mornings. Hunt’s routine often begins with a 5:15am alarm and a 23km run before work, fuelled by what he describes as “breakfast number one” (two peanut butter flapjacks and milk), followed by a second breakfast at the office.

Colleagues have rallied behind him, with donations and plans to cheer him on race day. “There’s only six trainees in my year group so we are all pretty close,” he notes.

Training at this level has also meant pushing through the realities of City life. “Sometimes this works OK within the context of my day… but other times it really does not, particularly if you have finished a deal at 2:00am,” Hunt says. While “most people would quite sensibly choose sleep”, he admits his training plan often has other ideas, adding: “My motto is that the job can take away my sleep, but shall not allow it to deplete my VO2 max!”

Despite his condition, which he says can cost runners at least 10 to 15 minutes over a marathon, Hunt has achieved impressive personal bests, including a 2:30:36 marathon time.

“Having the condition means that I have to manage my health and training quite carefully. I have regular check-ups, keep an eye on symptoms and adjust training depending on how things are feeling at any given time. More recently, I have also been quite careful around shorter, sharper efforts, as distances under 10k tend to spike my heart rate quite quickly and I find that harder to manage, whereas longer efforts are more of a gradual build and generally feel more tolerable.”

Hunt says the challenge is ultimately about supporting a good cause and getting the most out of his own capacity. “I am not on a completely level playing field… and that is fine,” he explains. “My focus is on getting the most out of whatever capacity I have on the day and over time.”

As for race day, Hunt will be relying not just on his 21 months of serious running training, but also on a carefully curated soundtrack. His go-to playlist (dubbed “C-list popstar bangers”) features the likes of Ashlee Simpson, Hilary Duff and Cheryl Cole, which he says reliably kicks in when fatigue hits mid-run.

You can support Hunt’s record attempt, and the charity behind it, via his JustGiving page.