8:30am Tuesday 16th March 2010
By Liza-Jane Gillespie
AN AMATEUR footballer will be putting on his running shoes this weekend - dressed as a giant rat.
Jon Miller, a member of Real Thornbury Football Club, will be taking part in the Reading Half Marathon on Sunday.
If running a half marathon was not hard enough Jon will be tackling the 13.1 miles dressed as a giant rat called Barry, who is Real Thornbury FC's team mascot.
Jon, who is from Thornbury and co-founded the team three years ago, said: "I thought that running as Barry would be a good laugh and challenge, and also boost my sponsorship.
"Our club sponsors Moles Brewery, who brew the Black Rat Cider which inspired me and my friends to establish Real Thornbury FC, have generously agreed to sponsor me."
Jon will be attempting to run the half marathon in aid of Oxfam and hopes to raise more than £400 for the development charity, which supports poor communities around the world.
Jon, who is a volunteer at Oxfam House in Oxford, said: "I am running for Oxfam because I strongly believe in Oxfam's determination to end global poverty."
This will be the first time Jon has attempted an event like this but he did run cross-country races in his youth.
His training during the last few months has included medium and long-distance runs combined with a continuation of his football training and matches. So far his longest run has been eight miles and he plans to build up to a distance of 11 miles before the race itself.
He said: "I now run three to four miles to work and will run to and from football training each week."
Jon is hoping to complete the half marathon in less than two hours. Anyone wishing to sponsor Jon should visit his just giving page http://www.virginmoneygiving.com/JonnyMillerRTFC
© Copyright 2001-2012 Newsquest Media Group
http://www.gazetteseries.co.uk/trade_directory/