Just moments prior to the commencement of the 2023 London Marathon, Richard Stoate was preparing to don his unique outfit by the roadside.

The 43-year-old required assistance to get ready; he wasn’t simply outfitted in athletic shoes and gear for the 26.2-mile race. Stoate was fundraising for the youth charity WellChild, and with his partner’s help, he stepped into an oversized 10-foot (3-meter) purple nurse costume.

As the race kicked off, he found himself running at a brisk pace. “If you pass someone, they tend to think: ‘Oh no, I’ve just been overtaken by the guy in an enormous nurse outfit,’” he remarked.

By the end of the race, with all that extra bulk, Stoate was starting to feel fatigued. After an exhausting five hours and 47 minutes, he reached the finish line. “It felt like such a relief to finally take it off,” he exclaimed. “At that point, I was pretty hot and exhausted.”

Every year, marathons draw an array of eccentric participants, from towering nurses to whimsical fairies, sturdy rhinos to giant chocolate bars, and iconic landmarks. But what is it truly like to navigate the course while wearing such quirky costumes for 26 miles?

The challenges include chafing and scratching from ill-fitting outfits, humorous interactions with onlookers, costumes that may fall apart during the race, and the overwhelming heat and perspiration from heavy foam disguises. Completing a marathon in a novelty costume offers a distinctly unique experience. Many individuals shared their stories with the Guardian.

Rhinoceros costumes, representing Save the Rhino International, have been a beloved fixture of the London Marathon since 1992. However, the temperature inside these suits can be unbearable. Cathy Dean, the former chief executive, last wore the costume in 2022.

She explained, “The suit creates its own microclimate – it’s extremely hot and humid inside. You really need to wear a sweatband to keep the sting out of your eyes.”

“After a while, you can even start to catch the scent of the sweat from all the previous runners that has seeped into the material over time.” Although the rhino suits receive a spray of furniture polish after each marathon, it doesn’t actually provide effective cleaning.

Weight is another consideration. The rhino costume weighs roughly 10kg and is strapped onto a frame that resembles a backpack – with additional support at the shoulders and waist – but the head tends to bob annoyingly. “So, you naturally start gripping the sides to stabilize it,” Dean noted, which can lead to stiff arms, “as if you were holding a tray of tea out in front of you.”

This year, 14 individuals will be sporting the Save the Rhino suits in the London Marathon. “They’ll be pounding through the streets of London; that’s a significant herd of rhinos,” said Dean.

Ann Beardsley, 73, along with her sister, has completed the “Disney Dopey Challenge” more than ten times. This event involves four races: a 5k, 10k, half-marathon, and full marathon, all held over four days at Disneyland in Florida.

One year, they dressed as matching pink flamingos. However, Beardsley recounted that the headpieces would often blow away, turning her into a “decapitated flamingo.” On another occasion, they dressed as rainbow fairies, battling itchy wigs, scratchy tutus, and hats that constantly slipped off. Nonetheless, she remarked, “It was all part of the enjoyment,” as these annual races offered the sisters – one residing in North Carolina and the other in Oregon – a joyful reason to reunite.

Kellie Clark chose to run the London Marathon donned as a giant Marathon bar (the former name for Snickers) in an attempt to secure a Guinness World Record. With the help of cardboard, fabric, and her sister, she crafted the outfit according to strict guidelines related to the length and weight of the chocolate bar, making it cumbersome to run in.

“It required a very short stride,” she explained. Nevertheless, on her third attempt in 2022, Clark’s Marathon outfit succeeded in earning the women’s world record for “fastest marathon dressed as a candy confectionery item,” finishing in 4 hours and 26 minutes. However, the title was claimed the following year by a group of Haribo runners.

Now 42 and living in Morecambe, Clark has also participated in the York Marathon dressed as a Yorkie bar, completed a pandemic marathon in a beer garden while dressed as a pint of ale, and ran the London Marathon as a pea-shaped superhero.

She aims to inspire her four children – aged 11, 10, eight, and four – to pursue their dreams and believe they can achieve anything while simultaneously raising money for charity. “They find my zany endeavors entertaining,” she added.

However, running in a whimsical outfit does come with its hazards. George Bingham, a 64-year-old from West Yorkshire, participated in the London Marathon raising funds for Sue Ryder in 2010, dressed as the Angel of the North, the 20-meter sculpture by Antony Gormley.

His costume, standing 3.5 meters tall and 4.5 meters wide, was crafted from fibreglass rods, bonded with marine glue, and covered in rust-colored material. Although it was lightweight, the slightest breeze could be precarious. “You just had to try to scurry along,” he recalled.

As he was running across Tower Bridge, a sudden gust nearly pushed him off balance. “Two stewards had to rugby-tackle me to keep me from being blown over,” he recalled. “They were true lifesavers.”

Above all, participating in a race while dressed in a novelty costume can be a deeply moving experience: many participants are raising funds for causes they are passionate about, and the support from spectators can be profoundly uplifting.

Robert Duncombe, 57, ran the 2022 London Marathon as a tree, fundraising for the Oak Cancer Centre at Royal Marsden Hospital, where he serves as chief pharmacist. He described the custom 8-foot costume, constructed by a company specializing in football mascots, as “bouncing up and down on my shoulders.” The insulating foam made him “sweat profusely,” yet he thrived on the “electric” energy from the enthusiastic crowd.

He recounted, “Running over Tower Bridge, you turn a corner, and there’s a throng of eight or ten people deep, and then that wave of noise hits you – even though slightly muffled through the costume, you could hear everyone chanting: ‘Tree! Tree! Tree!’ It was incredibly special.”

Dean noted that running in costume felt “like being on the red carpet. The crowds go absolutely wild.” After her marathon experience, she reflected that her most fatigued muscles weren’t in her legs. “I remember my smile muscles ached because I was grinning so much.”