Harley Salter Smashes His Own Guinness World Record in the 2023 Great South Run

Harley Salter, age 28 from Port Solent, finished the 2023 AJ Bell Great South Run in a personal best time of 1 hour 45 minutes 8 seconds, knocking almost 10 minutes off his finish time when he last did the race in 2019.

He also smashed his own official Guinness World Record for the fastest 10K on a seated tri-walking bike in 2019. His new record breaking time is 1 hour 1 minute and 56 seconds, knocking almost 8 minutes off his current record. And this was despite getting a puncture just a mile from the finish line meaning that he had to put in even more effort to make it to the end.

Harley ran the race on his Alinker walking bike which is completely manual, no pedals and no battery, using just the power of his legs. However, due to a foot amputation in 2018 he wears a prosthetic leg. This has no sport adaptations meaning the effort of running a race like this is tough physically and mentally. But he did it with courage, stamina and determination.

Harley says “I feel proud”.

Yesterday was even more of a phenomenal achievement as Harley has been unwell in recent months. His participation in this year’s race was put into jeopardy as it was not certain he would be well enough to run. But he did it against all odds, as ever, using his mantra “I don’t try, I do!”

Harley was supported by his brother Eden Salter, age 26 from Crawley, and a team of 6 others including his Mum, Vanessa Salter age 54 and uncle, Paul Salter age 61, who were helping him raise money for The Huntington’s Disease Association. So far he has raised over £2,000 of his £5,000 target which will help families impacted by Huntington’s Disease, an incurable progressive degenerative neurological condition, in Hampshire, IOW and Dorset. View his fundraising page here.