West Ham United players joined schoolchildren for a track event covering a combined 26.2 miles, ahead of club employees tackling the London Marathon on Sunday.
Tomas Soucek and Ollie Scarles appeared at the London Marathon Community Track in east London to back students from Bobby Moore Primary School as part of the West Ham United Foundation’s Premier League Primary Stars initiative.
Every child completed two laps around the 400m oval, amassing a marathon-length distance collectively.
The gathering served as preparation for the TCS London Marathon, where West Ham United first-team staff members—including performance analysis chief Charlie Radmore, player care manager George Stannard, and goalkeeper analyst Joe Evans—will take on the 26.2-mile route in aid of the West Ham United Foundation.
The foundation focuses on wellbeing, learning, and access to opportunities.
Soucek recalled his own school running experiences and the enjoyment of exercising alongside classmates. He noted the children’s evident happiness during the event, describing it as a meaningful occasion. Soucek emphasised that whether covering 200 metres or a full marathon, running offers significant benefits, and providing children with such opportunities holds considerable importance.
Soucek also expressed admiration for his teammates preparing for the marathon, stating that since they offer daily support on the pitch, it’s only fitting to reciprocate that encouragement for their charitable effort.
The Czech midfielder spent time motivating the students, fulfilling autograph requests and taking pictures with them.
The afternoon blended athletics with academic learning, guided by West Ham United Foundation education ambassador Bobby Seagull, who assisted pupils in grasping the enormity of a marathon by converting it into track circuits. The club’s mascot, Hammerhead, conducted the warm-up session.
Seagull remarked on the impressive energy demonstrated by the children and how they integrated mathematical concepts with physical activity. He explained that encounters of this nature help young people envision themselves accomplishing feats such as a marathon in future. Seagull added that interactions with top-flight footballers create truly unforgettable moments and would ideally motivate the children to maintain active lifestyles.
The pupils shared positive feedback about the event, with one pupil commenting on the enjoyment of running alongside classmates and meeting the professional players, as well as discovering the precise distance of a marathon.
Additional students reflected on developing resilience and managing their speed throughout the run.
For performance analysis chief Radmore, the marathon represents both a personal milestone and a chance to contribute to a worthy cause. He acknowledged that preparation had demanded dedication with pre-dawn training sessions, but expressed genuine anticipation for race day. Radmore noted that competing in support of the Foundation adds significant personal meaning to the challenge.
Money collected by Team West Ham United Foundation will fund initiatives assisting young people, households, and at-risk communities throughout east London.
The school activity not only motivated children to pursue physical fitness and aim high but also served as a prelude to the London Marathon, where club employees will undertake the endurance test for community benefit.