Ed’s tyre feat drives him round the bend (From Echo)

Shoebury fitness instructor pushes for 12-hour world record

8:00am Wednesday 15th February 2012 in Southend By Gina Marden

A FITNESS instructor spent his 40th birthday trying to smash a gruelling world record by pushing a tractor tyre around a running track for 12 hours.

Ed Court, of High Street, Shoebury, spent 12 hours and three minutes pushing the seven stone tyre around the 400m athletic track at the Southend Leisure and Tennis Centre, where he works.

Despite sub-zero temperatures, he pushed the tyre from 8am until 8pm on Saturday, completing laps totalling more than 33 miles.

After the event was witnessed, timed and recorded, he is waiting for adjudicators from the Guinness World Records to confirm whether his efforts have earnt him a place in the famous book.

Fresh from completing the challenge, Ed said: “I’m really, really elated I’ve done it.

“But literally every part of me is in pain. It even hurts as I breathe.

“The course was really tough because the snow and ice meant the tyre kept skidding.

“The poolside staff came out and dug out a clear path for me.

“But when I had finished I literally couldn’t even move my hands to get in the car.”

Despite being pleased at completing the challenge on his birthday, Ed was too tired from the epic feat to celebrate and instead marked the occasion with a cup of tea. He added: “Afterwards, I went to the car but my hands were so swollen and having muscle spasms meant I couldn’t open the door.

“One of my friends drove me to McDonald’s and I had a cup of tea then I went home and went to bed, I was so tired.”

During the challenge, Ed drank from a plastic water pack he was carrying on his back, ate packs of carbohydrate gels with the help of supporters who fed them too him and went to the loo in a mobile catheter.

He said: “It was so tough but I’m really pleased. It’s a real personal achievement.”

Ed is hoping to have raised more than £1,000 from the challenge.

The will money go to the charity Together for Short Lives, which supports terminally ill children.

To donate visit justgiving.com/parkwoodcommnityleisure