Two Years Ago Today...!

However, my defining moment was when I started chemotherapy and decided that I would not lie down and just fade away but would live for every day the best way I could and never give up.

The pavement artists wise words in chalk on the floor of Trafalgar Square “You only have two lives and the second one starts when you realise that you only have one” still resonates in my head as I see so many people who “waste” their life as I did at times before diagnosis, perhaps my only regret that I wasted any time at all. The fact I am here and still feeling generally ok (well 90%) most of the time means that the last two years have been a bonus for me, I suppose I am now in overtime but I have every intention of dragging out this time for as long as possible for life is for living.

So what have I been doing in the last 6 weeks since I last wrote? Well I have effectively finished off my “Running Year”(31st October) with lots of training including a weekend in The Brecon Beacons, with thanks to Likeys running store in Brecon and trying to build up my core more as that matters so much when you are running for many hours at a time. I have managed to end my year injury free and probably a bit fitter than I was this time 12 months ago so I have to be pleased with that.

Looking back on the year, I have run more than I dared dream of with so many great people. Completing the Marathon Des Sables in April was 31 years ambition, my only bucket list item, I remain in love with the desert (weird lol).

I have now raised over £45,000 for Prostate Cancer UK since my initial diagnosis which I know makes a massive difference to them so thank you for what you have done to make that happen. The costs of my races have always been paid for by me personally and will continue to be as to seek sponsorship to pay for something I want to do and use funds that could have been used by the charity would in my mind be wrong.

Working with the guys and girls from Prostate Cancer UK has been fantastic, they are passionate about doing everything they can to achieve the charities aims and so friendly with it, many of them have become friends now and have helped me give even more purpose to my life.

I have tried to do my bit for the charity including writing many articles, undertaken public speaking events, been filmed for a BBC documentary (out in April) , am the face of a 650,000 mailshot for the charity soon and been involved in forums to deal with the disease better.

I hit the milestone of 35 years working for RBS last month. They have been the best employer I could have asked for with care, understanding and tolerance of my situation since before I was formally diagnosed. There have been too many wonderful people along the way to name there who despite all the challenges that the organisation has have gone out of their way to make my time now the best it can be and ensure my family are looked after when I can’t. I will never be able to thank them enough in this email but I hope they know who they are when they read this.

My family have been incredibly supportive, treating me as normal most of the time giving me the space to train for and compete in so many wonderful races, coping with my sad days, my wonderful wife in particular has been immense. So what now I hear you ask? Well as one running year closes another starts.

My personal belief is that every year one should try to do more than the year before, that is progress. I know in my situation I would be forgiven by others to do something less than 2016 but for me that would be a cop out and I would feel a fraud so I have decided to go all out in the next year.

Firstly an apology, my 2016 just giving page billed my MDS run as my swansong and whilst I guess it still could be as my health is not guaranteed in any way in “overtime” I intend with all the strength that I have to go a few steps further.

I have therefore today launched my new Running Year Just Giving page. It is called “1,000 miles of madness” as even I think I am mad this time. The 1,000 is an important number to me as that’s about how many men die every month in the UK from prostate cancer, another way of looking at it is that since I was diagnosed 24,000 men have died from this indiscriminate disease in the UK alone, I have every intention not to be part of that statistic for 2017 at the very least.

So my calender (all mainly off road)  is as follows:-
27th November, Gatliff 50k, one day ultra marathon UK
14th January, Country to Capital 72k, one day ultra marathon UK
4th February, Pilgrims Challenge 106k, two day ultra marathon UK
7th April, Marathon Des Sables 257k, seven day ultra marathon in the Moroccan Sahara
2nd June, 15 marathons in 15 days 632k, with a well known sports personality UK
8th July, Al Andalus 230k, five day ultra marathon in the mountains of Southern Spain
28th August, Fire and Ice 250k, 6 day ultramarathon in Northern Iceland (similar to the MDS, unsupported carrying everything across the volcanic ash deserts of Iceland only a bit colder than the Sahara!)

The above race is supposed to be harder than the MDS according to the guy that has won the MDS so that will be my biggest challenge. Of course on top of that I guess I will run at least another 1,000 miles in training so I just have to stay injury free, be fit and hold the cancer at bay for another 300 odd days I don’t want much do I? (next blood test tomorrow, squeaky bum time!).  Just don’t ask what my plans are for 2018!!!!!

I hope you have enjoyed (sic) reading my blog, as ever if you do not want any more please email me and I will delete you and wont be offended, thanks to RBS for letting me send this as my home system cant cope and if you are a facebook person please friend me so my wife can keep you updated during the longer races if you want that.

If you feel able please do visit my new Just Giving Site and share this blog with whoever you wish but  more importantly please look after yourselves, go to the doctor if you ever have any changes to your body that are unexplained, live every day to the full and from this day forward have no regrets, thanks for reading, until next time.

  Kev