MAN v FAT Scunthorpe member Matt Gibson has had a busy few months, serving to to boost an enormous sum for charity – and he’s not performed but!
Matt has been with the Scunthorpe membership for 2 and a half years and has used his new discovered health to embark on an enormous fundraising effort.
He’s already raised over £2,500 for the Huntington’s Illness Affiliation, a charity near his coronary heart and, having completed a 50k Extremely Marathon in Scotland in Might and Wales in July, he’s now aiming to finish a grand slam of GB 50k Extremely Marathons in September.
We spoke to him forward of his subsequent enormous effort to boost important funds.
Reflecting on the place his journey started, he mentioned: “I noticed our MAN v FAT league marketed when it was first arrange however I postpone becoming a member of as a result of I used to be in denial that I used to be over weight. However I used to be out of form, out of breath strolling just some hundred metres to the store. I then bought sciatica twice and the second time I used to be mattress sure for 2 days, so I knew I wanted to get a grip of my life, get the burden off and get transferring and match once more so I joined up a couple of yr after the league was fashioned.”
And it’s confirmed to be a terrific choice, with Matt making some nice buddies as a part of the membership that’s expertly led by Dave Bell, an extended standing MAN v FAT coach.
Matt continued: “The neighborhood is incredible, the league has grown from 4 groups to eight in my time, so we now have about 80 blokes within the league and we now have performed a lot in my time there.
“We clearly have the MAN v FAT 7s on a Friday however we even have an additional session on Tuesdays if lads need it and the 11s soccer has been wonderful.
“We’ve got exterior 11s video games in opposition to different MAN v FAT groups but additionally inner 11s video games for charities that are all the time nice. We’ve got raised cash for my charity Huntington’s Illness Affiliation, Alzheimer’s Society, A number of Sclerosis Belief, Hope Home most cancers help, Lindsey Lodge Hospice, Tommys, Remedy DM and others, we now have raised over £17,000 as far as a membership which is incredible!
“A number of the lads have run in 10ks, half marathons, full marathons, Extremely Marathons and lengthy bike rides to boost not simply cash however consciousness for charity. Fellow assistant coach Jamie Hannath runs the Tuesday footy, all of the 11s and charity stuff, he has been the spine of the fund elevating inside our league.”
As with the very best of our MAN v FAT golf equipment, the off pitch neighborhood and spirit is simply as essential as something that occurs within the half-hour on the pitch.
The Scunthorpe membership epitomises a few of these nice qualities and Matt defined: “The league has been nice to make buddies and supply psychological well being help for some, that generally doesn’t need to be something deep only a beer or two with some gentle banter in some circumstances or becoming a member of in with one in all our psychological well being walks we now have had.
“The social facet for some has been nice, curry nights, evenings out to observe a band or the soccer, day trip on the races, pub video games and karaoke periods!”
As he prepares to embark on his subsequent Extremely Marathon in September, Matt was eager to point out his gratitude for his fellow Scunthorpe membership mates, earlier than explaining simply why the Huntington’s Illness Affiliation trigger is so essential to him.
“The lads have been superb in supporting my charity Huntington’s Illness Affiliation,” he mentioned.
“I kick began my charity fundraising final yr with an inner 11s recreation, we now have had soccer playing cards too to win cash or hampers, and they have proper behind me both financially chipping in and/or serving to unfold the phrase through social media.
“Their phrases of help and encouragement with me taking over Extremely marathons has not gone unnoticed, it does offer you that additional increase when individuals again you. I selected extremely marathons as a result of I wished to actually problem and push myself bodily and mentally, in doing so I get to boost consciousness and cash for a charity very near my coronary heart however I may get myself even fitter and lighter in weight.
“Huntington’s Illness sadly impacts my shut household so that is very private to me and so operating these Extremely Marathons for the charity is my manner of doing one thing optimistic out of a unfavourable. I agreed to run 3x 50K Extremely marathons this yr and likewise cowl the space between Lands Finish and John O’Groats within the yr.
“Over £2,500 has been raised for my charity to this point, I might love to boost over £3,000 earlier than I finish it. I ran a 50k in Might in Scotland, in Wales in July and my final 50k is within the Peak District in England in September. My fund elevating will finish there or when I’ve accomplished the miles between Lands Finish and John O’Groats.
“All the Ultras are over tough generally very technical terrain with loads of elevation achieve so I’ve needed to situation my physique as greatest as I can for the races. I don’t suppose I’ve performed too unhealthy for a forty five yr previous fats bloke with a biscuit knee who has by no means actually been a runner!”
And while the vast majority of his successes are right down to his personal arduous work and endeavour to get again to health, Matt additionally acknowledged that MAN v FAT has performed its half in getting him transferring.
He completed by saying: “There’s not an opportunity I might have imagined doing an Extremely Marathon after I first bought began with MAN v FAT. As I say, I used to be out of breath strolling a couple of hundred metres however you need to take small steps, I struggled to play a full 28 minutes of soccer within the early days, I can do this simply now, I can play 90 minutes with no points.
“So small steps, slowly altering weight-reduction plan and transferring extra. My recommendation to anybody becoming a member of MAN v FAT is don’t attempt to do all of it on day one, alter elements in small methods every day and week. We’ve got had so many success tales in our league alone, a number of of the lads have hit their BMI with many selecting up proportion targets, we will all obtain nice issues if we need to if we put the effort and time in with the right mindset.”
Wish to help Matt together with his fundraising?
You’ll be able to assist Matt attain his complete with a donation to his JustGiving web page!
