Sutton imperial trooper training for London Marathon (From Surrey Comet)

Sutton imperial trooper training for London Marathon

3:40pm Thursday 2nd April 2009 in Video Exclusive By Kevin Barnes

An endurance athlete faces a galactic struggle as he attempts to run the London Marathon clad in full Imperial Stormtrooper uniform.

Spencer Rolls, 37, from Sutton, will need the force to be with him as he tackles the 26.2-mile course in iconic body armour from the 1977 Star Wars film.

The IT engineer has already reduced fellow gymgoers to fits of laughter while training at Cannons fitness and wellbeing centre in Cheam.

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But he often strikes back by outpacing casual joggers, despite being encumbered by kit better suited to Darth Vader's imperial warship than a suburban treadmill.

Spencer, who is also running an ultra-marathon on the 65th anniversary of D-Day, was loaned the replica costume by a Star Wars fanatic, who donned it for the Revenge of the Sith premiere.

He said: "Running, once you get going, is good. There is a strangely soothing sound of the amour moving which is very relaxing but the ventilation is as poor as the visibility.

"Looking around, especially down, is hard. But, aside from that, it's an experience. The reaction is great. When I first asked if I could train at the gym, I think they thought I was joking.

"Now I get lots of questions on what I am doing as I start to put it on.

"Once running, the giggles and pointing start - after all you never see a stormtrooper in a gym do you?"

Spencer is running the marathon on April 26 to raise funds for Project 65, a military charity created to honour D-Day veterans.

In recent years, marathon devotees have covered the route in a 9ft robot costume, a deep-sea diving suit and while dressed as Boadicea, Queen of the Ancient Britons.

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