Spurs fan Ben runs 60k to raise funds for NHS

Spurs fans Ben Guildford and his dad, Chris, had a bit of a lightbulb moment - and Ben is now 800% up on his fundraising target for the NHS.

“I said to my dad, ‘I don’t think we’ll raise 20 quid!’” laughed Ben, from Crayford, a member of South East Thames Spurs. At the time of writing, having completed his challenge on Sunday, he’s raised £1,775.

A fan all his life, following in the family footsteps of Chris and his grandfather, Steve, Ben took on the challenge of running five kilometres every four hours over 48 hours. That's 60 kilometres - or 1.3 marathons - and Ben, who first walked out at White Hart Lane aged four, had to go through the pain barrier to complete it.

“I was boxing before lockdown and found running as a way to maintain that fitness, and a form of exercise that really helps with mental health,” he explained. “I thought about how I could challenge myself, and it was my dad’s idea for the charity side of it. I read up on a few posts on everything the NHS staff have done for us all, the hours they’ve worked, and thought, ‘why not?’. We spoke about it and just went for it.”

Ben completed the challenge on Sunday night. There was just one problem…

“The worst thing was… I had a pair of running shoes, and bought a new pair of trainers a couple of months ago. I started in the running shoes, then, in the third run, I switched to the new trainers and they did my feet in! It was torture! More than anything, it was about recovering. There were three hours between runs, shower, sleep, but then you’re straight up for a run again. It was like blinking between runs! Common sense said, ‘don’t do it’, but of course you do it!”

Ben has a lovely story on his first Spurs match, the surprise element of which no doubt many fans will be able to relate to. “Spurs runs in the family,” he said. “Ever since I was a little boy I’ve been going to Spurs with my dad and grandad. I remember the first time. It was 2008, and I must have been about four.

“I was in the car and I think they told me we were going to pick up some carpet for my grandad! Anyway, we drove up the High Road, and they said to me, ‘what’s that sign over there?’ and, of course, I read it and I was like, ‘is that White Hart Lane? Are we going to White Hart Lane?’ I was so excited. Then I thought, ‘I haven’t got my Tottenham shirt’, but they said not to worry, it was in the boot! It was a brilliant day. We’ve been going together ever since.

“I love going to Spurs, and I miss that atmosphere, even the feeling of being with everyone and that anticipation walking to the stadium. Hopefully we’ll be back soon.”

And we all echo that sentiment!