Autumn 2006…..it started with a drink, another and then another and then a drunken belief a non-runner, overweight 15 stone, smoking, stressed bloke could do a half Marathon and Climb Mount Kilimanjaro…......20,000 feet onto the roof of Africa...........all in 18 months !
Of the big, scary objectives I set myself in a mad moment with my Mum I had achieved both….2 more to go…the London Marathon and the Marathon de Sables….just a marathon a day across the Sahara for 5 days !
I should say I was inspired by my Mother and her courage fighting cancer for 7 years. She would laugh to us every time the Doctor’s dealt her more news…….its bowel cancer…….6 months later……its lung cancer, its now in the kidney, ‘were taking one of your kidneys out Mrs.Thorpe’ and so on it went for 7 years.
With my father she was scared and in bits but so incredibly positive to the outside world and her 3 boys and Grandchildren who never saw her without a smile on her face.
Each time ‘ chemo ‘ started she would laugh at her selection of wigs as they got greyer each year and then a new one……..a little brave Mum…. a blond highlight !
We register for the London Marathon….oversubscribed 5 to 1…..October we found out that Lisa Ross…my colleague, great motivator and ‘to be’ running partner were both unsuccessful. If you’ve been there this is the better luck next time letter and a London Marathon fleece…….great fleece, thanks !
The same day an email went out offering 2 places to run for MK SNAP………a fantastic local Milton Keynes Charity helping physically disabled kids with a richer life. In a day, we had gone from huge disappointment to huge excitement as we contemplate the journey, the cold early morning training and fundraising ahead !
Lisa, by the way, is a lot younger and fitter than me………I’ll turn 40 in March…….a month before the race and another reason to do what I am not built to do !
So…why put my body, wife and young daughter through this ?.....well 3 reasons…..one, I’ll be turning 40 and life begins at 40…..I’m told……..two, we’ll raise some money for great Charities and great nurses who truly make a difference to peoples lives and, thirdly, because I believe I CAN…….though others tell me I can’t, you won’t…......
I’ll let Lisa give you her motives but this is a girl I have huge admiration for…….Lisa does the work of 3 and still finds time to put others first…….top, top girl some lucky man will be very lucky to meet !
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