A runner who completed 30 marathons in as many days is taking on the London Marathon this Sunday - with a 30kg fridge on her back.
Laura Bird, 31, has clocked up an incredible more than 300 miles and gone through three pairs of trainers while preparing for and completing races.
In 2020, she ran 10 marathons in 10 days in 10 different towns and cities across the UK.
In her latest challenge, Laura will be running the 26.2 mile course with a fridge strapped to her back - and aims to complete it in less than 6 hours.
Her endeavours have seen her raise £12,550 for East Anglian Air Ambulance after they saved her life in 2010 when she attempted to take her life by jumping in front of a lorry - aged 18.
Laura, an environmental consultant, from St Ives, Cambridgeshire, said: "It takes a lot of hard work and a lot of time on your feet just to get the mileage in - with persistent running for four days on the trot and spending a lot of time in the gym.
“Psychologically, the 30 day challenge was harder because I had to hold it together and not be injured or ill for a whole month.
"But physically the 10 day challenge was certainly more taxing.”
This weekend Laura will attempt to break a Guinness World Record by becoming the first woman to run a marathon with a fridge on her back - to raise money for children's charity Rays of Sunshine.
The fridge will weigh between 25 to 30kg and will be attached to her back using a military grade harness.
“I’ve been training with a fridge on my back for seven months now and it’s without a doubt the hardest thing I’ve ever done," she said.
"The first challenge was working out how to even get it on my back, with a company sponsoring me buying a military grade harness for me to use.
“Then it literally started with going out for half a mile or a mile just walking to start off with.
"But the training has gone really well and it’s attracted quite a lot of attention in the local area which is a good thing because it means people have donated more.”
Laura has currently raised £12.5k for Rays of Sunshine and more than £11k for East Anglian Air Ambulance through her ultra-marathon challenges.
She credits the air ambulance service with saving her life after she walked out in front of a lorry in 2010 - and was left with life-threatening injuries.
Laura said: "My grandad, who we sadly lost in 2020, was also called Ray who got his name from being such a ray of sunshine, he was a lovely man and that really resonated with me when I first saw the charity."
Training for events like this relies on a strict diet.
Laura said: "It’s naughty but I love a can of coke.
"If I’m out and about at 6 in the morning on the weekends I’ll be drinking coke by 7.30am.
“I’m hungry all the time. I mainly eat lots of fruit and veg and pasta and the thing that gets most people is I carry a lot of baby food around with me because the pouches can be really handy when training.”
Alongside these feats, Laura has appeared in the 2019 se
Laura Bird, 31, has clocked up an incredible more than 300 miles and gone through three pairs of trainers while preparing for and completing races.
In 2020, she ran 10 marathons in 10 days in 10 different towns and cities across the UK.
In her latest challenge, Laura will be running the 26.2 mile course with a fridge strapped to her back - and aims to complete it in less than 6 hours.
Her endeavours have seen her raise £12,550 for East Anglian Air Ambulance after they saved her life in 2010 when she attempted to take her life by jumping in front of a lorry - aged 18.
Laura, an environmental consultant, from St Ives, Cambridgeshire, said: "It takes a lot of hard work and a lot of time on your feet just to get the mileage in - with persistent running for four days on the trot and spending a lot of time in the gym.
“Psychologically, the 30 day challenge was harder because I had to hold it together and not be injured or ill for a whole month.
"But physically the 10 day challenge was certainly more taxing.”
This weekend Laura will attempt to break a Guinness World Record by becoming the first woman to run a marathon with a fridge on her back - to raise money for children's charity Rays of Sunshine.
The fridge will weigh between 25 to 30kg and will be attached to her back using a military grade harness.
“I’ve been training with a fridge on my back for seven months now and it’s without a doubt the hardest thing I’ve ever done," she said.
"The first challenge was working out how to even get it on my back, with a company sponsoring me buying a military grade harness for me to use.
“Then it literally started with going out for half a mile or a mile just walking to start off with.
"But the training has gone really well and it’s attracted quite a lot of attention in the local area which is a good thing because it means people have donated more.”
Laura has currently raised £12.5k for Rays of Sunshine and more than £11k for East Anglian Air Ambulance through her ultra-marathon challenges.
She credits the air ambulance service with saving her life after she walked out in front of a lorry in 2010 - and was left with life-threatening injuries.
Laura said: "My grandad, who we sadly lost in 2020, was also called Ray who got his name from being such a ray of sunshine, he was a lovely man and that really resonated with me when I first saw the charity."
Training for events like this relies on a strict diet.
Laura said: "It’s naughty but I love a can of coke.
"If I’m out and about at 6 in the morning on the weekends I’ll be drinking coke by 7.30am.
“I’m hungry all the time. I mainly eat lots of fruit and veg and pasta and the thing that gets most people is I carry a lot of baby food around with me because the pouches can be really handy when training.”
Alongside these feats, Laura has appeared in the 2019 se
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