I ran a marathon in full PPE

Scientist racing with a Bunsen burner torch

Source: © M-H Jeeves

Racing to become the official fastest marathon runner dressed as a scientist

As a PhD student I would often complain about how sweaty I would get during the hot summer months. Safety glasses, a lab coat, full length trousers and chemically resistant gloves are designed to protect us from accidental splashes in the lab, not to keep us cool. Flash forward to 21 April 2024. I’ve just emerged from Blackfriars Underpass, having ran 38 of the 42.2km of the London Marathon in full PPE. Exhausted, overheated and covered in sweat, I swore to myself that I’d never complain about PPE in a lab again!