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Sole Of Sci-Fi

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By Dave Golder | Wednesday 04 June 2014

I have created a monster. The idea seemed simple back in the twilight days of 2013 when I hatched it: I would wear a different pair of trainers every day for the whole of 2014, and get people to sponsor me. Oh yeah, and get them to loan me trainers, too. Because while I had a fairly large collection (about 30 pairs) I was well short of supplying a whole year’s worth myself. I’d raise loads and loads of money for Alzheimer’s Research UK, and all I had to do was post a pic on Twitter each day.

I am legend

Simple. Sole Of Sci-Fi was born.

Except it took on a life of its own.

Because I work as a sci-fi journalist, I thought I’d better give the challenge a sci-fi twist to appeal to my Twitter followers (and convince them to part with their money). So the photos began to have sci-fi elements. Little things at first. Just toys and action figures I had at home or found in the office.

Then I started dabbling with Photoshop, and the images became more extravagant. But the more extravagant they became the more Twitter followers I was getting and the more hits I was getting on the blog. Did I mention I set up a blog as well? Again, not part of the original plan. It just kinda happened.

So far I’ve had over 10,000 hits on the blog and I’ve got over 1,100 followers on Twitter. That’s not to mention the fact that sci-fi magazine SFX retweets me every day, meaning I can reach over 50,000 people.

The trainers reloaded

So now, Sole Of Sci-Fi has become a multi-faceted challenge:

  1. I need to get people to loan me trainers.
  2. I have to create a new sci-fi/trainer-related photo or image every day.
  3. I have to write a blog every day.
  4. Raise lots of funds for Alzheimer’s Research UK!

I’ve worked out that over the course of 2014 I’ll have devoted more hours to this than a runner training for the London Marathon.

And yet, I’m still finding it difficult to convince some people to take me seriously. It seems that unless there’s some physical element to a sponsored challenge, people think it’s cheating. Believe me, this is no easy ride. My life is being taken over by Sole Of Sci-Fi. It’s genuinely the first thing I have to think about every day, and I often devote large parts of every weekend to planning out the next week’s range of photos (getting locations, props and, yes, puns ready).

I think some people also think that – because I am a sneakerhead (jargon for someone obsessed with trainers) I’m just doing this to expand my collection, but I have strict rules in place. Any I’m loaned are returned. Any I’m given – if they’re in a fit state – are sold on to make more money for the challenge.

As the halfway point approaches I’m worried about where I’m going to get more trainers from.

A new hope

So, as the halfway point approaches, I’m still having fun, but for the first time, I am worried about where I’m going to get more trainers from. Approaching manufacturers for dead stock or shoe shops for support hasn’t yielded much of a result so far. Maybe it’s time to start contacting a few famous sports personalities for a bit of support?

But it’s not supposed to be easy. It’s supposed to be a challenge. So I’m not complaining. I’m determined to complete this because, to be frank, for Alzheimer’s Research UK, it’s worth completing.

We’ll be adding more of Dave’s amazing Sole Of Sci-Fi challenge pics in the coming weeks. To keep updated, sign up for our regular newsletter in the ‘Keep up to date‘ box on the right.

Can you help Dave in his challenge? Spread the word via Facebook and Twitter, and if you have any trainers you could donate (either on loan or old pairs you’re getting rid of) between size 8 and 10, contact Dave on his blog so he can arrange collection.

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About the author

Dave Golder

Dave Golder is a professional geek. When, aged 16 he told his school careers officer he would make a living editing a science fiction magazine, he was told to stop dreaming. He didn’t, and a few years later became editor of SFX, the world’s leading magazine for sci-fi TV, films and books coverage. He’s also written for the BBC Focus Magazine, Total Film, Sci-Fi Chronicles and Music Week. His biggest claim to fame is getting the name of a character incorrect in a review of a David Gemmell book, only to see David Gemmell use that name in his next book

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