Nathan on course to fulfil fundraising goal (From Swindon Advertiser)

Nathan on course to fulfil fundraising goal

10:20pm Sunday 21st March 2010 in

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FOOTBALL fan Nathan Taylor is 500 miles into his gruelling homage to the World Cup but has already been stopped by police and detained by borders agency officials.

Nathan, 28, an England supporter who lives in Dixon Street, Swindon, set off on March 4 on his charity run of 1,400 miles in which he aims to pass as many European football grounds as possible.

He then hopes to cycle 6,000 miles across East Africa to Johannesburg, arriving just before the World Cup finals in June.

Personal trainer Nathan has reached Le Blanc, just south of Orleans, in France, and has covered more than 500 miles.

He has attributed his success so far to drinking a Guinness at the end of each day’s run.

He said: “I have actually been drinking Guinness pretty much every night. This is really within my comfort zone.

“The challenge is running past the pubs and patisseries and not stopping.”

Nathan is being followed on the journey by a motorhome driven by friend Jay Mallinson Nathan started his journey in Amsterdam and now he must travel south towards Toulouse then on to Barcelona, finishing in Madrid on April 11.

He said: “It’s a pretty much life-defining thing – it’s the biggest thing I have ever done.”

He is still waiting for immigration clearance before he can continue the journey through to Johannesburg.

The endurance challenge is to raise money for African charities, including Kick4Life, Grass Roots Soccer and the Pallangyo Foundation.

Kick4Life tackles HIV by providing sports-based health education, voluntary testing, life-skills development and support into education and employment.

Grass Roots Soccer trains African soccer stars, coaches and teachers in the world’s most HIV-affected countries to deliver an interactive HIV prevention and life skills curriculum to young people.

So far Nathan said he had been stopped by police and French-Belgian border control officials, accosted by prostitutes and run through a wood when his GPS system led him the wrong way.

He was stopped by police after locals gave him directions which led him on to a dual carriageway the size of the Great Western Way.

However, a low point in the journey was finding out that David Beckham has been ruled out of the England World Cup squad due to injury.

But Nathan said he still believes that England will still be in contention in the closing stages of the tournament.

To sponsor Nathan visit www.just giving.com/ Nathan-Taylor1.