|  | | |  Justin at the London Triathlon in his banana suit
Release Date: 2nd September 2004
Watch out for the six-foot banana at the BUPA Great North Run on September 26th.
Twickenham boy Justin Ablett, 25, will be donning the big yellow furry banana suit for the Leukaemia Research running team, nicknamed the Banana Army because of their bright yellow t-shirts. He is will be one of the thousands of Banana Army of runners tackling the 13-mile course to raise money for the charity.
"It's a-peel-ing to all the young and old runners and gives them a chuckle as they tackle the course. My friends all think I am a nutter but it is fun and the support of the crowd keeps me going," he says.
Although this is his first BUPA Great North Run, the banana man has been spotted at the BUPA Great Manchester Run, BUPA Great South Run and London Triathlon. The suit compares to running wrapped up in a sleeping bag and means Justin has to be extra fit and so has been training himself hard.
"I have been following BUPA's running guide to keep my fitness up and making sure I am eating all the right stuff including a few bananas. It gets very sweaty in the suit and I end up shedding a few pounds, which is always a good way to lose a bit of the flab! I have always wanted to do the BUPA Great North Run and looking forward to it. I hope that I can help make a difference to leukaemia patients and their families," he says
Be sure to spot Justin who works for IBM along the race as he make his way round the 13 miles course past some of the north-east's most famous landmarks, running alongside celebrities from programmes such as Emmerdale, The Bill and Monarch of the Glen.
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