I remember those afternoons with immense fondness, they left an indelible mark on my childhood. I knew I wasn’t as good a snooker player as I was a runner, but my Dad and I subsequently spent many an hour playing on a full sized table in the Abingdon Leisure Centre called the Old Gaol. Two years later, having been given a mini Steve Davis snooker table for Christmas in 1984, I sat and watched the World Championship final in 1985 and was transfixed. I am also a firm believer that if life has smiled on you, there is a moral obligation to act with humility and generosity.Įver since watching the inaugural World Athletics Championships in Helsinki in 1983 I knew I wanted to either run the 1,500m for Great Britain at the Olympics, or be the man in the stadium talking about it.

In part I think it must be my way of channelling the grief into something positive.

But I’ve started doing random acts of kindness over the last year or so and those no-strings-attached gestures really seem to resonate with people. I’m buying the bottles with my own money which people may think is a bit mad. That’s why on June 5 th I will set off from John O’Groats to Land’s End, covering more than 1,000 miles by cycling and running the length of this beautiful country in what I hope will be a thoroughly uplifting 19 days, finishing in Cornwall on June 23 rd.Īlong the way I intend to spread some joy and encourage people to toast my friends while remembering theirs by giving out four bottles of champagne a day in memory of each of the four I’m doing it for. Running, athletics and snooker have defined my life for more than 40 years and after losing Robin, Martyn, Stephen and little George and speaking at all their funerals, I decided to set myself a challenge and raise a few quid for two brilliant charities.

Like a run down a country lane with nothing but the sound of birds and bees on your ear. Losing three of my mates and one of my nine-year-old son’s best friends within the last two years has left me with a heightened appreciation of life, love and the determination to focus on the beauty of the simplest pleasures. Losing a good friend or close relative can have a profound effect on anyone and I’m no different. Here, in his own words, he explains why…ĬLICK HERE for Rob’s Just Giving page where you can donate to two amazing charities Our Master of Ceremonies is cycling 1,000 miles from John O’Groats to Land’s End next month.

Another Year or Two by Robin Stephen