Six Liverpool fans are preparing for the run of their lives as they plan to make the 76-mile journey from Hillsborough to Anfield in just three days.
The aim of the run is to raise funds and awareness for the Hillsborough Justice Campaign and the Hillsborough Family Support Group, which are both based in Liverpool.
The six men are currently training non-stop for the longest run they will ever have to do, as the route amounts to nearly three full marathons over three days. They will begin the run on April 12th in Sheffield and the finish line will at Anfield on April 14th.
One of the runners, Dominic Williams, who came up with the idea, told JMU Journalism: “It originated when I went to Anfield in August to watch the opening game of the season. We went to the museum beforehand and when I came out I saw the big mosaic and the 96 names of the people who died at Hillsborough.
“I’d watched Eddie Izzard a couple of months before doing the 43 marathons in 51 days, and I had an idea in my head that I wanted to do something like this, but when I saw that that’s when I got the idea.”
But, training together isn’t easy when the team are all scattered over different countries. Dominic, who is originally from Liverpool is now based in Glastonbury, and his co-runners are based across London, Ireland, Bolton and even stretch as far as Dubai.
Dominic said: “It is a bit difficult but we’re are all doing our own bits. I’ve been taking in the views from the hills of Somerset by running there. I did 28 miles last Saturday and 13 on Sunday.”
Despite never attempting a marathon prior to this, the 36-year-old admits it’s not the running aspect that he is anxious about: “I’m not nervous about the run at all. I’m nervous that we won’t raise enough money or awareness, though I’m really looking forward to the run.”
An eager Dominic told JMU Journalism: “I really hope this could turn into a yearly thing, maybe not always for the same cause. We’d like to do something for Alder Hey Children’s Hospital or the new Football Quarter [a petition set up by the Spirit of Shankly group] and maybe start a new kit project for them.”