A Royston runner has two reasons to celebrate after completing his first sub-three-hour marathon at the weekend – eight days after officially becoming the fastest person in the world to run a half marathon dressed as a plant.

Robin Todd finished the Chicago Marathon on Sunday in just two hours, 59 minutes and 46 seconds, spurred on by fellow members of the Royston Runners club.

The 40-year-old’s 26.2-mile feat comes on the back of receiving a certificate from Guinness World Records officials the previous weekend after running the Northampton Half Marathon on September 3 in 1h 29m 46s.

Robin completed the 13.1-mile course in a sunflower costume while raising money for the Sierra Leone Red Cross’s mudslide appeal – a cause he holds dear having been working in West African country for a year as an education advisor for the Ministry of Education.

Robin was not in Sierra Leone at the time of the mudslide in August this year, but had been working in Freetown – five minutes away from where the disaster struck.

His involvement with the Red Cross and the families affected touched him intensely, so he decided on a novel way to raise funds.

About the record-breaking effort, he said: “I wanted to bring some fun into the race. I felt I was being given money for something I love to do, so I wanted to give something back.

“I raised £2,000, and my employers then contributed a further £2,000 towards the charity.”

Robin, who has lived in Royston for five years, has been with the Royston Runners for 1½ years and trains six times a week.

“I was a cross country runner when I was a kid and I loved it,” he told the Crow.

“I stopped running for a while, but when I came and lived in Royston it all started again when I joined the Royston Runners.

“It is a great opportunity to meet people you have something in common with – they are all fantastic and have been instrumental in my achievements.

“When I am obsessed with doing something, I want to do it well. The Chicago Marathon is the world’s sixth marathon major event and I was so happy to achieve the time I did.

“I have had loads of support from the club, they were texting me and tracking me all the time.”

Asked what was next on his agenda, he added: “I am definitely having a rest now, but will soon be in training for next year’s London Marathon.”

To make a donation to Robin’s cause visit justgiving.com/robin-todd-1.