Livingston assistant manager Neil Hastings was due to run the Edinburgh Marathon on Sunday with twin brother Mark.
But there’s a good reason why he has had to pull out – the Lions are facing St Johnstone in the final Premiership fixture of the season just as the runners will be weaving their way through the capital.
He’s a man of his word, however, and he tackled a 26-mile jaunt from Armadale to Leith last weekend and has raised over £1000 for Diabetes UK in the process, despite a possible broken bone in his foot.
Mark has lived with the condition since his late teens and Neil was determined to take on the challenge and raise funds for a cause close to his heart.
He said: “I was due to be running on Sunday, but obviously we are playing so I can’t do it. My twin brother Mark has diabetes so we wanted to run it and raise money for them.
“I ran the 26 miles from Armadale to Leith – from my brother’s house to my mum’s – so I can say to everyone who has sponsored me that I have done a marathon, even if it’s not the official one. Anyone who knows me will say I am honest and if I say I will do something then I will.
“I saw the physio at the club the other week and he reckons I have a broken bone in my foot and a meniscus issue in my knee and he advised me not to do it. He thought I was off my head and the players have been laughing at me as a day after a run I am in bits.
"But I wanted to follow this through. I hit 21 miles and everything was aching and it was a bit slower than I wanted it to be. It was mind over matter and I had to do it.”
Mark has the condition under control and the pair finished the run together, with Mark joining for the final few, gruelling miles.
Neil added: “Mark was diagnosed when he was about 16. He only discovered he had it after fainting at home twice.
“He had to change his lifestyle as a teenager. Changing your diet, what you can eat or take in was difficult for him initially but he has it under control and knows what he can and can’t do. These days he can check his sugar levels with his phone and things like that which is great.
“My eldest brother and Mark, we all support each other and we all help each other all the time. We are all passionate about this cause and we wanted to raise some money for diabetes.”
He added: “Mark joined me at Newbridge so he would be strong as I was finishing.
“I was on track to do it in four hours but my foot and knee were killing me and I ended up coming in just under five hours. I was a bit disappointed but I got cramp in my legs like I have never had before. I wanted four hours and 30 minutes but I am glad to do it.”
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