The bad news, if you find yourself in the Sunderland end at Craven Cottage for our final away game of the season on May 6, is that the man next to you will have just run a half-marathon. The good? Nic Wiseman, esteemed former editor of the fanzine It’s The Hope I Can’t Stand fanzine, promises to have a shower first …
Being your usual football fan, I never considered running top of my priorities.
Yes, I remember taking flight to get to the Nottingham Forest game one night in November 1981, because the bus was late. I almost got killed running back for the bus, as I didn’t see a car that, thank heavens, stopped an inch from me as we ran back across Roker Avenue to the Wheatsheaf bus stop for Washington.
But that was the extent of my running.
Indeed, as I became old enough to drink, that became as important as, or even more so than, the game itself.
Many a time I have been slumped in my seat – or standing, slumped in my misery – enduring a heavy reverse only to receive the joyous text “We’re out of here, let’s gan to the pub.”
But in truth, I have always enjoyed the freedom running gives.It gives me time to sort my thoughts. There is also a buzz that comes after a run. I dabbled with a few Great North Runs in the 1990s got to love those lovable rascals spitting at me, when they saw my ALS t-shirt as I headed to the finish in Shields), but it was never something very regular.
Then, a couple of years ago, I went to my GP for a general check up. She said, there’s nothing wrong with you that losing a couple of stone wouldn’t solve. Huh? Where did that come from? Added to the fact that Lent was upon us, it was the perfect opportunity to give up the drink; I thought “let’s go for it”.
In the intervening period I have managed to shed some three stone and now regularly run 10 miles.
But it wasn’t until I became a governor at my daughter’s school in Twickenham and was charged with delivering a new school hall, that I thought maybe I could put this running to good use. In October I ran the Twickenham Cabbage Patch 10-mile run in 1hr 30mins and raised £815.00.
If any Fulham supporter has strayed in here and fancies ansering the ‘Who are You?’ questionnaire ahead of Fulham v SAFC, please tell Monsieur Salut via the Contact link at the top of the page
We still need a bit more in our coffers, so the Richmond half marathon is on the horizon on May 6. I signed up and got lots of other eager parents to run as well.
And then our Fulham away match got moved to the Sunday. With the run starting at 8.30am and I hope to get round in around two hours. That will give me four hours to: get back home to Twickenham, shower, change, get a train (or beg my lovely wife to drive me) and meet friends in the Prince of Wales in Putney.
That’s doable isn’t it? I would love it if some of you kind readers could make it even more worth my while by sponsoring my efforts.
If you want to help Nic, or rather his daughter’s school, by offering sponsorship, please to his page at …