Head over heels? Man runs Chicago Marathon in a pair of red stilettos
We all strive to find the best running shoes for race day, but sensible shoes just won’t make the cut for one runner. At the 2024 Chicago Marathon earlier this month (Sunday 13 October), Curtis Hargrove, a runner from Alberta, Canada, set out to break the world record for a marathon run in high heels. His aim was to surpass the existing fastest time of 5:13:27, clocked by Oscar Eriksen at the Milton Keynes Marathon in May 2023.
Hargrove – who has already accomplished many marathons in aid of various charities – ran the race in the unusual footwear to support Stepping Stones Crisis Society, a charity that offers support and outreach for victims of domestic violence.
‘This is really important to me,’ Hargrove told CTV News earlier this year, ahead of running the Edmonton Marathon in a pair of stilettos. ‘This is really important to our community, and I just want to do my best and support them.’
Having run his first marathon at the age of 15, Hargrove has gone on to accomplish all kinds of running-related feats. These include running 34 marathons in 34 days throughout Alberta and British Columbia to raise $50,000 for the Terry Fox Foundation, and walking nearly 200 miles in four-inch high heels from Cold Lake to Edmonton to raise awareness of domestic violence.
Unfortunately, Hargrove’s high-heeled record attempt fell a little flat in Chicago, as he crossed the finish line in a time of 7:05:11. ‘I definitely went out way too fast, running my first 10 kilometres in 1 hour and 4 minutes, and was on pace for the record at 21 kilometres,’ reflected the runner in a Facebook post.
‘[I] ended up getting some medical attention around 25 kilometres to tape up my fully blistered feet so that I could continue,’ added Hargrove. ‘I want to thank you all from the bottom of my heart for cheering me on, stopping and sharing stories of domestic violence, and to everyone who’s donated.’
Still, Hargrove won’t feel too upset about missing the record – this was his 310th marathon, after all, and his first shot at the Chicago Marathon, one of the iconic races in the Abbott World Marathon Majors series. Plus, the funds that he raised will go toward building a new shelter and transitional housing for women and children experiencing domestic abuse.
‘The way I see it is that the pain I go through with the blisters is nothing compared to what women and children go through every day,’ said Hargrove, who achieved his main race goal of raising awareness of domestic violence. ‘My blisters will heal – some may never recover from their trauma.’
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