Run the Line
When I speak to Freddie and George, they are 213.5 miles into their arguably bonkers but brilliant challenge — Run the Line. Decided whilst the cousins were on holiday together, the challenge to run the length of all the London Underground lines was initially planned as “a bit of fun”, it wasn’t until the night before they set off on their first adventure (the Victoria line), that they decided to raise money for charity. Choosing The Charlie Watkins Foundation, established in memory of Charlie by his remarkable twin brother Harry and their father, to raise awareness of mental health in young people after Charlie took his life in March 2017. Alongside raising awareness, the foundation has formed an initiative, Chat with Charlie, in conjunction with Mid and North East Essex Mind for students attending the University of Essex. The aim being to provide a safe space for students to speak openly about their mental health via a 1:1 chatroom. It is the charity’s hope that they can expand the concept to other universities across the country to accelerate the provision and support of vulnerable young people.
Whilst neither spend hours plotting and planning, Freddie, the “details man” is tasked with googling the route the night before as the assigned map reader. George is in charge of the camera, recording footage originally intended for their personal archives, but which has served as great social media content helping to spread the word.
The boys are due to complete Run the Line on Saturday 12th December and on finishing will have clocked 330 miles, 381 stations and 11 lines over 11 consecutive weekends. It’s a remarkable conquest for an incredible cause — an achievement of a lifetime and celebratory pints are most definitely in order at the finish line this weekend.
Please donate here.
As a friend of Charlie and Harry’s, I was immediately drawn to Freddie and George’s challenge, enthused by the idea that they were doing something physical for mental health. I touch on this idea, with which George nods, “we can be in quite a lot of physical pain, but it’s very little in comparison with the mental pain the people we’re running for are going through.” With no particular charity affiliations, The Charlie Watkins Foundation felt like the right fit, “we all have friends with mental health issues,” Fred explains, “and running for such an amazing cause motivates us each week.”
What about training? I ask.
Both smile responding in tandem, “we haven’t really done much training”, they laugh, “each week is practise for the next.”
Freddie and George jest about their lack of preparation but their ‘get-up-and-go’ approach is refreshing, adding to the sense of adventure and in keeping with an idea cooked up over a couple of beers. “It almost makes it more manageable,” George suggests, “training is obviously a good thing, but then you have all this time to build yourself up and that adds the pressure.”
