Speedo Mick vows to continue 1,000-mile charity walk despite injury
He insisted: ‘I’m not giving up on this. I’m just not that way inclined.’
Speedo Mick’s attempt to raise £100,000 by walking 1,000 miles in his trunks has been hit by injury.
The Everton fan, famous for attending Premier League matches in his swimwear, is in the middle of walking from John O’ Groats to Land’s End to raise money for community projects for disadvantaged young people.
But the 55-year-old, whose real name is Mick Cullen, has been hit by a calf injury and has been advised to rest by physios.
He told the PA news agency: “They’re saying it’s not a massive tear or anything, it seems to be a minor one that’s just giving me a lot of gyp, so he said just not to do anything until it just stops hurting.
“He said that might be a week but it might be less than that as well, it could just be four days, but no less than that. I’m gutted.”
While he will now be taking a short enforced break from his trek, Mr Cullen said reports that he is quitting the walk completely are wide of the mark.
“I’ll start again in hopefully four days,” he said. “I’m not giving up on this. I’m just not that way inclined.”
Mr Cullen has received support from Everton and on Friday he was treated by the club’s medical staff at their training ground, Finch Farm.
While there he met the team’s new manager, Carlo Ancelotti, and took the opportunity to grab a selfie with midfielder Fabian Delph.
Mr Cullen said: “I just met one of the best managers in the world. I said to him, ‘I’m doing a fundraiser, I’m walking 1,000 miles in my swimming attire’, and he just laughed. He was cool, he wished me luck.
“I got a bit of a buzz off that.”
Mr Cullen was forced to abandon Thursday’s scheduled leg of the walk because of the injury but is hoping to start up again on Sunday after attending Everton’s game against Brighton on Saturday afternoon.
He is about halfway through the walk, which began on December 11, and has so far raised around £90,000 via his Gofundme page.
He initially hoped to raise £50,000 but doubled that target after surpassing it within a few weeks.
He attended last weekend’s Merseyside derby in the FA Cup at Anfield as a guest of Liverpool.
