On Sunday 26 April, Cornish dairy farmer Michael Barrett will be taking part in the 2026 TCS London Marathon, sporting a Kubota tractor costume, based on his M7-154 tractor.
With approval from Guinness World Records for his costume design, and support and sponsorship from Kubota UK, Vincents, Lancare Contractors, Cornwall Groundworks and Excel Agri, Michael is aiming to beat the existing tractor costume record of four hours, 50 minutes and 54 seconds, while raising money for local charities.
It’s not Michael’s first London marathon. He last competed in 2010, notching up an impressive time of three hours and 38 minutes. But this time, he wanted to approach the 26.2-mile city slog with a costume.
As tenants of the Duchy of Cornwall’s Tredinnick Farm near Liskeard, Michael and wife Lynsey run a 275-cow herd producing a 10,000-litre average from 600 acres of grass and maize. And having recently bought his first Kubota tractor – an M7-154 – to operate a feeder wagon, he reasoned that a tractor costume would be the best attire in which to run the marathon.
“As a farmer, a farm-related costume was an obvious idea, and I reckon the current tractor costume record is well within my sights,” he said. “With the help of Cornwall Hospice Care, who sorted my entry, I then started to think about how I could construct my costume.”
He drew inspiration from his Kubota M7-154 tractor, and worked out how best to create a lightweight costume that would meet with Guinness World Records’ approval. From the outset, he knew that he needed to be fully enclosed by the costume, which had to be rigid and extend down to his knees. The rules allow Michael to put his hands outside the costume for the purpose of carrying.
“We were in the middle of a bathroom renovation, and the shape of two bath panels offered the profile I needed for the sides and bonnet,” he explained.
Both bath panels were fixed to an aluminium frame, and two different size of bucket lid were attached as wheels, and a roof panel was added, complete with rechargeable LED orange flashing beacon.
“A pto guard was cut to length for the exhaust pipe, and with help Vincents taking care of the paint, decals and Kubota bonnet badge, I’ve ended up with a 10kg tractor costume,” he said.
Assembled with cable ties, Michael explained that the costume is easily dismantled for transport, simplifying the family’s train journey to London, ahead of the April 26 race.
“I’m really looking forward to getting around the 26.2-mile route, to beat the existing record with a time somewhere around the four-hour mark,” he says. “A friend who is a Royal Marine has advised me to carry the costume on my hips, rather than totally on my shoulders, as there’s less movement to impede my progress. And a few pieces of seat cushion foam glued in, will help to locate the costume firmly against my hips.”
With the target of raising £5,000 for local charities, you can chart Michael’s fund-raising activities, and make donations, here:
https://2026tcslondonmarathon.enthuse.com/pf/michael-barrett
