Psychologist and author Dr Kevin Dutton, and Great Britain rower John Collins will be navigating 315 stations on the London Underground and Docklands Light Railway, on foot.
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On the morning of Sunday, September 19th this year, psychologist and author Dr Kevin Dutton, and Great Britain rower John Collins shall be embarking on a unique challenge. There are a combined total of 315 stations on the London Underground and Docklands Light Railway and in the twelve days leading up to the London Marathon (on October 3rd) Kev and John shall be navigating all of them, on foot. On Day 15 they shall then run the London Marathon.
A team of data scientists from Capgemini Engineering supported the challenge by calculating the optimum start point and shortest possible route between the 315 stations, beginning in Chesham and ending in Lewisham, the station nearest to the London Marathon start line. The total distance is 305 miles.
For the entire duration of the journey they shall be sleeping rough, mostly in parks along the route, but occasionally, when geography allows, in a friend’s garden. They might, for example, discover the true meaning of “The Number of the Beast” when they bed down on Iron Maiden frontman Bruce Dickinson’s patio after 150 miles at the end of Day 6. Then at 200 miles, on Day 10, they’ll be dropping in on snooker legend Ronnie O’Sullivan for some breakfast. Former SAS soldier Andy McNab will also be on hand to keep an eye on things.
John and Kev shall also be inviting some of their celebrity friends to keep them company on various stages of the route and put in a few miles - walking, running, bike, wheelchair…however they want to do it! Veterans In Action (https://veteransinaction.org.uk/) a charity that organizes expeditions for veterans who have suffered the effects of war or who have found the transition to civilian life difficult, will also be supporting Kev & John and joining them at various points on their gruelling marathon around London.
The Metro Marathon Challenge is a unique challenge, the values and attributes needed to complete it will be applicable to a wide range of challenges that all of us face during the course of our everyday lives.
Dr Kevin Dutton is one of the world’s foremost psychologists. He has spent the best part of the last twenty years at the Universities of Oxford and Cambridge and is a Fellow of the British Psychological Society. Kev is a multiple best-selling author who, alongside his academic commitments, also consults in the elite sport, business and military sectors. Fortunately, he’s also a keen runner.
GB rower John Collins made his Olympic debut at the Rio 2016 Games after firmly establishing himself in the men’s sculling squad. He raced in the men’s quadruple scull through out the 2017 season winning gold, silver and bronze in the World Cup series, and silver at the World Rowing Championships in Sarasota-Bradenton.
