Tony Adams, the former Arsenal and England captain, will run the London Marathon on Sunday, marking 30 years since he became sober. The 59-year-old, who reached rock bottom in 1996 after a 44-day drinking binge, now chairs The Forward Trust, a charity supporting people with addiction and unemployment.
Adams recalled his lowest point: 'I felt so lonely and so desperate. I was blacking out and it got into my psyche. I had this mask on, so no one saw it, but underneath I was dying.' He described a moment of clarity when he broke down and cried, leading him to seek help through Alcoholics Anonymous.
Now, four years after his stint on Strictly Come Dancing, Adams is taking on the 26.2-mile challenge despite a metal knee. He emphasised the hidden nature of addiction: 'Even in a marathon with 50,000 people running, you never know who’s struggling. Addiction is insidious; it’s buried inside.'
Adams founded the Sporting Chance Clinic in 2000 and has been chair of The Forward Trust for 18 months. The charity helped 1,000 people into employment last year. Two years ago, his son Oliver, 34, also sought help for alcohol addiction, and Adams was able to guide him to recovery.
Adams admitted he has not trained beyond 10 miles, adopting a 'less is more' approach, but remains calm: 'I’m used to big events. This will be a bit of fun.' He jokingly compared his expected time of under six hours to John Terry’s five-hour finish last year, saying, 'In my last game...'
