Sam Bodoano has completed a 62-mile, 100-kilometre run-up before bowling a single cricket ball in a bid to set a Guinness World Record for the longest bowling run-up by a male cricketer. The challenge combined endurance running with cricket and was also done to raise money for cancer charity The Ruth Strauss Foundation.
Bodoano, who is from Worplesdon near Guildford in Surrey, began his challenge at Lord’s Cricket Ground in northern London on Saturday. After running for about 100 kilometres, he arrived at Valley End Cricket Club in Woking on Sunday, where he completed the last stage of the challenge by bowling the first delivery of a cricket match to his father.
The massive run took about 14 hours. Bodoano had to contend with the physical labor of running this distance while still keeping the cricket record challenge in mind. But he didn’t just have to run a long distance; he had to cope with the endurance challenge and the Guinness World Record for that kind of event.
Bodoano said after completing the challenge he was tired and lost a lot of sleep. Despite the physical strain he said it was worth it, in a way, because it was for a cause.
A man has run between Lord's Cricket Ground and Valley End Cricket Club in Woking, setting a Guinness World Record attempt for the longest run-up prior to bowling a cricket ball.
— BBC Surrey (@BBCSurrey) September 2, 2026
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The challenge has raised almost £6,000 for The Ruth Strauss Foundation, a charity established in memory of Ruth Strauss, the wife of former England cricket captain Andrew Strauss. The foundation works to support families facing the death of a parent and aims to ensure that children and families receive appropriate emotional and practical support during an extremely difficult period.
For Bodoano, the fundraising element added another special dimension to an already unusual sporting challenge. A 100km run is an outstanding endurance achievement in itself, but turning it into a cricket-themed world record attempt made the event especially distinctive.
To make the record attempt eligible for consideration, Bodoano had to complete the run carrying a cricket ball and also wear full cricket whites during the challenge and play a cricket match after delivering the opening ball. These conditions were designed to ensure that the attempt was connected to the sport and not only a long-distance running challenge.
But despite completing the physical requirements, Bodoano has not yet been officially confirmed as a Guinness World Records holder. Guinness World Records said that the evidence submitted for the attempt must first go through its formal review and verification process.
This process can take approximately two weeks, depending on the evidence provided, according to the organisation. And until that review is complete, it is not possible to officially declare Bodoano’s achievement a new world record.
The current male record holder for the longest cricket bowling run-up is Tom Dunn. In August 2024, Dunn completed a 15-mile (around 24-kilometre) journey from Bethnal Green in east London to Wandsworth Common in south London before bowling a delivery.
If Bodoano's application is verified then his 100 km run would be a huge improvement on the current record. His attempt would be more than quadruple the previous distance which would add it to the list of unusual sporting endurance records.
The route from Lord’s to Valley End Cricket Club also served as a great cricket tie. Lord’s is one of the most famous cricket grounds across the world, and Valley End offered Bodoano the chance to finish the challenge by playing in an actual game and delivering the first ball to his dad.
The final verification will determine whether the attempt officially enters the Guinness World Records. Whatever the outcome, Bodoano has already accomplished an outstanding endurance feat and raised thousands of pounds for a cancer charity through his unusual combination of running and cricket.
His challenge shows how sports can be used to achieve personal milestones as well as to generate attention and fund charitable causes. If Guinness World Records agrees to the application, it would mark a 100km journey from Lord’s to Valley End which would go down in history as a landmark in cricket.
