From: Tamzen Cannoy <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Date: Fri, 19 Apr 2002 23:58:41 -0700 Subject: Across the finish line in five days.
<http://www.boston.com/dailynews/109/world/London_Marathon_s_slowest_entr:.s html> London Marathon's slowest entrant shuffles across finish line five days after start By Associated Press, 4/19/2002 16:15 LONDON (AP) A man who entered the London Marathon wearing a 120-pound deep sea diving suit finally shuffled across the finish line Friday five days after beginning the race. Finishing in a time of 128 hours, 29 minutes, 46 seconds, Lloyd Scott posed no challenge to the marathon's winner Khalid Khannouchi of the United States, who whizzed around the course Sunday in a world record time of just over two hours. But the former firefighter and professional soccer player from Rainham in southern England did raise around $144,000 for a children's cancer and leukemia fund. Scott, 40, became the last among 32,875 people to finish the 26.2-mile race. He was greeted at the finish line near Buckingham Palace by a large, vocal crowd of well-wishers and Paula Radcliffe, the winner of the women's race. Scott said one of his worst moments during the five-day ordeal came early Thursday when he had to negotiate a cobblestone pavement outside the Tower of London in the 1940s diving suit, which came complete with dome-like helmet and lead-weighted boots. Scott wore the suit for 12 hours at a time before spending each night in a mobile home with his family. He first ran the course in 1989, without a diving suit, shortly after being diagnosed with leukemia. He wanted to be in good shape before enduring the bone marrow transplant, which saved his life. His wife Carole, who followed the race with their three young children, said she thought her husband was crazy when he told her of his plans. ''I said, `don't be so stupid,' but then knowing him like I do, I wasn't surprised when he decided to carry on and go through with it,'' she said. ''I am really, really proud of him.'' As for the man himself, who confessed to being exhausted and emotional when crossing the finish line, there was just one thought. ''I'm looking forward to getting up tomorrow and not having to put on a cold, wet diving suit,'' he said.
