Stormtrooper uses force for marathon success

Monday 10 September 2018

A local Stormtrooper has temporarily dropped his search for droids in an attempt to clone the success of marathon medal-winners and raise £3,000 for babies needing care.

35-year-old James Manners will be donning his trainers and the full costume of Star Wars' infamous soldiers - complete with the helmet - on the starting line on 7 October for Friends of Special Care Baby Unit.

With only a month to go before the big day, the avid runner has been training, but is still yet to complete a long run in his suit. While it has been adapted to make it as safe and comfortable as possible, James will still have to take extra care when on the course.

He told Express: "I did a test run a few months back to give an idea of the fitting and all the pinch points. There are some particular areas around the elbows and knees where you can't completely get rid of the pinching.

"The main issue is with the helmet. It affects your breathing and your vision. I don't want to be overheating so I'm hoping it will be nicely overcast. On the day, I will have friends aiding me. I can't really see any below waist-height nor my feet. A couple of my friends have agreed to run with me to gives me a heads up if there is a pavement, roots sticking out or an uneven terrain."

Pictured: The Stormtrooper helmet prevent James from seeing anything below his waist.

As crazy as the idea of running the marathon in a full body, screen-accurate, suit might seem, James isn't the first one to think of it. Nor is it the first time James is pushing himself for a challenge. He previously tackled the Marathon des Sables, a six-day, 251km ultramarathon in the Sahara Desert dubbed as the 'toughest footrace on Earth'.

"I got the idea from a guy who ran the London Marathon in the outfit," says James I love a challenge and I have done numerous marathons. I didn't want to do just another," he said.

James contacted the Jersey Stormtrooper and asked if he could borrow one of their outfits. Paul Bentley, the original local Stormtrooper, was delighted with the idea and provided lots of advice.

Pictured: Paul Bentley, the Jersey Stormtrooper, and James Manners, the Running Stormtrooper.

Paul explained: "My outfit was originally a 40th birthday present. It was meant to stay on a mannequin but after I put it on, i had two phone calls from friends and family asking me to turn up for someone's birthday. I thought there was something there and launched a Facebook page, which has been a great way of reaching people. At the beginning, it was two, then five,  then 10 people and now there is about 30 of us, ranging a few characters.

"In the past five years, we have raised £13,000 for the Friends of SCBU as well as other charities like Autism Jersey or the Teenage Cancer Trust. We also turn up for community events like the Battle of Flowers. When James contacted me I thought it was a perfect fit. It's a huge undertaking, we have been able to give James advice and make everything as safe as possible for him."

"It's a marathon with a twist," James added. "It's going to be difficult, I am not entirely sure what it will be like in the later stages."

Video: The Stormtrooper in training for the tricky marathon attempt.

Luckily, the Running Stormtrooper will have lots of support on the day. His partner and daughter will be there to cheer him on but Paul will also be following on his scooter to keep hydrated and make sure he is comfortable. There will also be a big celebration when he reaches the finish line and James even promised some surprises.

While James originally aimed to break a world record as the fastest Stormtrooper, he soon realised that the terms had changed. "I contacted Guinness World Records and the record is now for the fastest person to run a marathon dressed as a Star Wars character. Someone did it in three hours, which is a bit out of my reach. I am aiming to do be, unofficially, the fastest stormtrooper, with anything under four hours."

James' main goal however will be to raise £3,000 for Friends of Special Care Baby Unit. He recently launched a JustGiving page to receive donations, and will be taking part in a series of events ahead of the big day. On 28 September, he will be at Planet Poker with the Jersey Poker Lounge. For every £30 ticket sold for the event, £10 will go directly to the charity and the best player can hope to win at least £500.

Pictured: James is hoping to raise £3,000 for Friends of SCBU.

James said: "I chose Friends of SCBU because I wanted to support a local charity. I wanted it to be a charity that doesn't get the timelight and recognition others receive. With Star Wars and the Stormtrooper being something many kids like I thought it was fitting."

Paul adds: "Friends of SCBU helps the whole family. They support families locally but also those who have to travel to Southampton if their baby needs it. It takes the whole pressure off the family so we know the money is put to good use."