Marathon Runner Sipped 25 Glasses of Wine

Running a marathon might seem daunting enough, but running a marathon while sipping 25 glasses of wine? Such is the rather dubious (or admirable) achievement of 52-year-old Tom Gilbey, who swilled his way through 26.2 miles at Sunday's London Marathon, reports the BBC. Gilbey undertook the boozy feat not in the name of debauchery, but of charity. How it went:

• The specifics: Gilbey stopped at each mile to sip and "guess the drink's grape variety, country of origin, and vintage," reports the Guardian. He carried two wine glasses with him in his belt.

• The outcome: Gilbey correctly identified a 2018 Burgundy pinot noir at mile 1, nailed six more, got 14 mostly or partly correct, and whiffed on four. His video of the stunt has gone viral.
• That charity: The wine merchant raised north of $17,000 for "Sobell House hospice, who nursed and cared for my dear Mum in her last few days," per his JustGiving page.
• How much he actually quaffed: Because sampling 25 glasses of wine might put a mere mortal under the table, "If they were good, I might swallow it, and if they were bad, they went on the road," he told the BBC. "The wheels came off near the Isle of Dogs. [The wines] weren't good ones."

(More London Marathon stories.)