'˜Rocket Robin' on cue for his marathon bid

As a snooker and pool player, Robin Harrison could match the best in the business.
Thumbs up:  Horncastle runner  Robin Harrison who is hard at work preparing for the London Marathon.Thumbs up:  Horncastle runner  Robin Harrison who is hard at work preparing for the London Marathon.
Thumbs up: Horncastle runner Robin Harrison who is hard at work preparing for the London Marathon.

At snooker, he reached once the semi-finals of a national event only to narrowly lose to Jimmy ‘Whirlwind’ White.

During his pool career, he trialled for the England A team, represented England B and the East of England and also captained Lincolnshire.

Little wonder he was known as ‘Rocket Robin.’

Now, he hopes to be right on cue in a few months when he runs in the London Marathon.

Robin, who lives in Horncastle, says: “If someone had told me 18 months ago that I would be running the London Marathon I would have thought they had been on something rather strong!

“It was something I would never have envisaged.

“At that time, I had packed up smoking five years ago but I had put on weight, ballooning from 10st 7lb to approximately 15st 5lb,

“I decided to start eating more carefully, plus start a rigorous daily fitness regime. “

To start with, Robin walked eight to ten miles daily. Then, he took up cycling and when a puncture meant he was off the road for a couple of weeks, he turned to running.

He soon completed his first 5k race, joined a running club and has progressed to 10k events.

He admits the 26-mile marathon will be a much tougher test and is hard at working clocking up the miles in training.

Robin is a life-long Manchester United fan and fittingly will be running the marathon for the Manchester United Foundation.

The Foundation works tirelessly to inspire young people from disadvantaged backgrounds. It provides coaching and educational programmes and has helped countless youngsters transform their lives.

Robin adds: “I have been a Manchester United supporter since the day I was born through my late mother’s influence.

“My first game was in 1969. I still go regularly to Old Trafford and am a member of the Manchester United Lincoln Supporters’ branch.”

An added bonus for Robin running the marathon for the Foundation is that he has been invited to a session at United’s training ground. There he will rub shoulders with some of the club’s first team stars . He might even beat them in a training run!

*Anyone who wants to back Robin can visit http://uk.virginmoneygiving.com/RobinHarrison3