He's earned his stripes! Runner who completed 13 marathons, trained in India AND climbed Kilimanjaro with a 10-foot tiger on his back will compete in final race this weekend

  • Paul Goldstein ran 13 marathons with the tiger costume on his back to raise money for charitable causes
  • He has trained in India, walked from Brighton to London and climbed Kilimanjaro while wearing the costume
  • The campaigner, 53, will compete in his last race this weekend in London because of his age and injuries

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A man who completed more than a dozen marathons with a 10-foot tiger costume on his back will finally be hanging up his running shoes after the London Marathon on Sunday.

Paul Goldstein has previously completed four marathons in one week, climbed Mount Kilimanjaro, and, in 2014, ran the Brighton marathon, before proceeding to London on foot to take part in the marathon there - all with the plush aluminium-framed predator strapped to his body.

The wildlife photographer and guide, who has already completed 13 marathons, says age and surgery on his Achilles tendon has taken its toll on his body, leading him to make the decision that this will be his last race.

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Paul Goldstein trains in his tiger suit near the Taj Mahal, Agra, in March 2014. The runner has completed 13 marathons in the costume

Paul Goldstein trains in his tiger suit near the Taj Mahal, Agra, in March 2014. The runner has completed 13 marathons in the costume

Paul Goldstein is watched by a very confused looking camel as he trains in his tiger suit in a rural part of India in March 2014

Paul Goldstein is watched by a very confused looking camel as he trains in his tiger suit in a rural part of India in March 2014

Paul Goldstein pictured wearing his tiger suit in 2014 in London opposite Westminster, after travelling from Brighton on foot

Paul Goldstein pictured wearing his tiger suit in 2014 in London opposite Westminster, after travelling from Brighton on foot

The campaigner said: 'After 13 marathons, Kilimanjaro and a chunk of India in the suit, it is time to hang up its paws.'

This year, Goldstein will be raising funds for a language school in India.

He said: 'I am raising funds to build a language school next to Tadoba National Park, this is vital as virtually no English is spoken in this park. The school will also be used for the local children who hopefully become guides and Forest guards when they are older.'

But despite giving up future races, the 53-year-old from Wimbledon says that the tiger's perilous situation still 'haunts him' and their fate 'keeps him awake at night'. 

He explains: 'A couple of weeks ago a "tiger increase" headline was being grandstanded from India. This is nonsense. We have been here before. The same headline was peddled out almost two years ago and found to be false.

Paul Goldstein prepares to climb Kilimanjaro in Tanzania with the tiger on his back in 2012 - one of the challenges he set for himself

Paul Goldstein prepares to climb Kilimanjaro in Tanzania with the tiger on his back in 2012 - one of the challenges he set for himself

The adventurer climbing Kilimanjaro while wearing the tiger suit in heavy snow, showing that it's all about determination

The adventurer climbing Kilimanjaro while wearing the tiger suit in heavy snow, showing that it's all about determination

Later, the campaigner reached the Kilimanjaro summit, still wearing the tiger suit. It was the third challenge he completed for his charity Worth More Alive

Later, the campaigner reached the Kilimanjaro summit, still wearing the tiger suit. It was the third challenge he completed for his charity Worth More Alive

Paul Goldstein in his tiger suit on Clapham Common
Paul Goldstein runs the London Marathon in April 2011

Paul Goldstein in his tiger suit on Clapham Common (left), which carries the medals he has earned. He's pictured right running the London Marathon in April 2011

'The census may have been done differently but it is genetically impossible for such a dramatic increase and the methodology for such surveys is notoriously weak. Many zoologists and tiger experts have endorsed this.

'Tigers' ranges have been cut by 40 per cent in the last decade and Cambodia, Vietnam, Laos and China have lost their once viable populations in the same time period. This is the real issue, not some uncorroborated figures.'

Goldstein has raised over £140,000 through his charity Worth More Alive for conservation projects in several National Parks in India.

He insists that alive they are worth as much as $50million (£34.9million) to the thousands of people the tourist infrastructure supports.

He said: 'Dead, on a slab, their body criss-crossed by poachers' bullets they are worth about $25,000 (£17,444) maximum to just a few.

'It is not good just crying about it, these insidious perpetrators need to be shamed, and then we need to go for the poachers properly, not just with a criminally insipid slap on the wrist.

'We are losing the battle with so many marquis species like rhino and elephant and I just cannot bear the thought of a world without tigers. 

Paul Goldstein ran the Brighton Marathon in a tiger suit in 2012. He then walked all the way to London afterwards to compete in the marathon there, while still wearing the costume

Paul Goldstein ran the Brighton Marathon in a tiger suit in 2012. He then walked all the way to London afterwards to compete in the marathon there, while still wearing the costume

 The marathon runner says Sunday's race will be his last. Age and an Achilles tendon injury are both motivators for his decision. He's pictured here near the Taj Mahal

 The marathon runner says Sunday's race will be his last. Age and an Achilles tendon injury are both motivators for his decision. He's pictured here near the Taj Mahal

Paul Goldstein and his tiger suit take a break from training on Clapham Common  on April 17 this year as he prepares for his final race

Paul Goldstein and his tiger suit take a break from training on Clapham Common on April 17 this year as he prepares for his final race

'Just as people buy caviar and fois gras, people buy tiger products as a badge of honour - purchased because it is expensive, not because it works. It's despicable.

'My two sons have been lucky enough to see rhino and elephant. I would like to think when they are my age there might be some tigers left.

'I have been lucky enough to show hundreds of people their first tiger. I remember mine well: a huge male lying on a dusty road in 1998, poached two years later.

'My support runner Chris, a 70-year-old with 100 marathons to his name, saw his first with me, and his first leopard, cheetah and polar bear. They matter to Chris as they matter to me and so many.

'If this last marathon brings more exposure to the tiger's plight then this grueling last run will be worth it. They really are worth more alive.' 

You will be able to track Goldstein's progress through his running number 38635.

The wildlife photographer and guide says that even though he's giving up on marathons, the plight of wild tigers continue to plague him. He's pictured here training in his tiger suit near the Taj Mahal in India 

The wildlife photographer and guide says that even though he's giving up on marathons, the plight of wild tigers continue to plague him. He's pictured here training in his tiger suit near the Taj Mahal in India 

He said: 'My two sons have been lucky enough to see rhino and elephant. I would like to think when they are my age there might be some tigers left.' He's pictured here preparing to climb Kilimanjaro in Tanzania

He said: 'My two sons have been lucky enough to see rhino and elephant. I would like to think when they are my age there might be some tigers left.' He's pictured here preparing to climb Kilimanjaro in Tanzania

Paul Goldstein trains in his tiger suit near the Taj Mahal, Agra
Paul Goldstein after running the 2012 Brighton Marathon in a tiger suit for his Worth More Alive III charity

Paul Goldstein trains in his tiger suit near the Taj Mahal, Agra, (left) and Paul Goldstein after running the 2012 Brighton Marathon (right)

Paul Goldstein and his tiger suit meet other exercise fans on Clapham Common as he prepares for his final race in the costume

Paul Goldstein and his tiger suit meet other exercise fans on Clapham Common as he prepares for his final race in the costume

Despite the fact that it will be his last run, Goldstein is optimistic. He said: 'If this last marathon brings more exposure to the tiger's plight then this grueling last run will be worth it. They really are worth more alive'. Goldstein is pictured here being chased by children in Agra, India

Despite the fact that it will be his last run, Goldstein is optimistic. He said: 'If this last marathon brings more exposure to the tiger's plight then this grueling last run will be worth it. They really are worth more alive'. Goldstein is pictured here being chased by children in Agra, India