British Astronaut to Run London Marathon Aboard International Space Station

The London Marathon is an annual event anticipated by most British health enthusiasts and foreign athletes alike. This year, the London Marathon is going to be unique because one of the marathoners is joining the race from space. British astronaut Timothy Peake is set to join the London Marathon from inside the International Space Station.

According to CBS, British astronaut Timothy Peake is ready to run the London marathon this Sunday, and he is also ready to set his new personal record. The 44-year old former British army pilot is a race fanatic with good numbers under his belt. Peake told CBS, "It's a great challenge that I set myself, and I'm quite glad this is happening later on in the mission." He has been staying at the International Space Station since late last year.

According to Peake himself, joining a marathon in space is not an easy task. He will have to use the International Space Station's treadmill, but the lack of gravitational force makes running on the treadmill a challenge. He needs to wear a harness to keep his feet on the treadmill. The same report said that his colleagues from the European Space Agency, along with the other 38,000 marathoners, will run simultaneously with Peake to support the space resident's cause.

Some, including Jonathan Scott, Head of Medical Projects and Technology at ESA, said he will be wearing a replica of a spacesuit during the marathon. IB Times reported how Peake trained for the daunting task at hand. Peake said, "I don't think you can ever do enough training for a marathon. But I've certainly been putting in the miles on the T2 treadmill - that's what we call it up here on the Space Station... So I'm confident I can get on and run the marathon on Sunday. But I'm sure there will be a few points where I'm wishing I did more training."

A live feed of the London marathon will also be set up in the International Space Station so that Peake can see what's happening down here on earth.

NASA prides itself with the fact that the ISS is conducive to man's living standards, providing crew members with amenities similar to what they enjoy on earth. "The International Space Station is a unique place - a convergence of science, technology and human innovation that demonstrates new technologies and makes research breakthroughs not possible on Earth," NASA said. The ISS has state-of-the-art equipment including space toilets. In terms of hygiene, most of their soaps are rinse-free to avoid unwanted blobs of water from floating inside the ISS.

Another report said that due to their isolation, crew members have access to various entertainment media to keep them occupied, like movies, books and music. And of course, they do have internet, not just to help them Instagram earth photos taken from the ISS but to communicate with ground staff on earth.

To keep the crew healthy, the ISS has a cycle ergometer or a stationary bike, a treadmill equipped with harnesses to help the crew use it, and the Advanced Resistive Exercise Device (ARED), which is a simulation of dead lifts and weights. These are the tools Peake will be using to prepare for the London Marathon this Sunday.

Other than his colleagues, everyone on earth is rooting for Peake to achieve his target personal records. And if you want to witness history as it happens, head down to Peake's official website this Sunday.