Currently running the length of South America for charity, Mike Humphreys has had a front-row seat to Argentina’s “absolutely outrageous” World Cup celebrations. But should England bring those to a close in the semi-final later, he admits he will have to celebrate in silence.
The marathon runner from Hedon, in East Yorkshire, is partway through a 4,700-mile journey to raise money for motor neurone disease (MND) research.
Setting off in March, he has so far clocked up 3,230 miles (5,200km), the equivalent of 123 marathons in 106 days. He has just passed the Argentine city of Humahuaca, and is about 75 miles (120km) from the border with Bolivia.
“It’s crazy, the atmosphere out here,” Mike explains as he describes what it has been like during Argentina’s matches so far.
“Every single person heads out to the streets, scooters with people on the back holding flags, pick-up trucks with full families in the back with horns, trumpets and drums.”
On one occasion when the team was playing, Mike says he ran through a police checkpoint without being noticed by officers who were watching the match.
“The entire country stops just for the game,” he says. “It’s back to normal after, but most people are celebrating after and drinking and partying.”