To have a name like ‘Lightfoot’ seems so befitting. But what is most remarkable is that before his victory he was awake for 29 hours before the race.
Can a human outrun a horse? British runner Ricky Lightfoot has just proved it can be done. Lightfoot become the third person to win the Man v Horse race held in Llanwrtyd Wells, Wales over the weekend, a report in the Indian Express, says.
Lightfoot accomplished the feat in just two hours, 22 minutes and 23 seconds beating the Lane House Boy horse ridden by Kim Alman by two minutes and one second.
“It’s great to win the event and beat the horse. I thought I could give the horse a good race,” Lightfoot, who won £3,500 after crossing the line, told the BBC.
His win is also remarkable as he was awake 29 hours before the race. “It was great to compete in such a legendary, unique race that was all started from a conversation in a local pub. I was awake for 29 hours before the race and had to drive five hours home afterwards, so needless to say I was shattered, but it was worth it,” he told CNN.
There were 1200 participants against a team of 60 horses and riders in the 22 miles race held in the Welsh countryside. The rugged terrain with steep hills and muddy areas posed challenges for the runners.
The race began in 1980 after two locals in Neuadd Arms pub argued whether a human could ever beat a horse in a long-distance race, according to the official website of the event.
The first-ever winner of the race was Huw Lobb who beat the fastest horse by two minutes in 2009. In 2007, Florien Holtinger beat a horse.
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