Home | Blog | In My Darkest Days 5k Your Way Gave Me Something To Look Forward To

In My Darkest Days 5k Your Way Gave Me Something To Look Forward To

I grew up in a very sporty family but I didn’t start running until 2001. Over a number of years I did half marathons, marathons and joined a running club then I progressed to ultra running and half ironman triathlons. I was looking for my next challenge when my wife had an accident and the desire to push myself kind of left me. Not long after that I began to feel not quite right when I was running and I’d noticed blood in my pee. After a series of tests I was diagnosed with grade 3 bladder cancer.

To be honest I didn’t really worry about it – and still don’t – because I can’t control it. I could say: why me? But equally, why not me? I was fit, ate healthily, didn’t smoke and wasn’t an excessive drinker so it was just one of these things. I returned to running as soon as I could and not long afterwards I heard about 5k Your Way. I went along to the Cambridge group and then the Bedford one.

Unfortunately things started to feel not quite right again. A CT scan, MRI and biopsy showed that the cancer had metastasised and was now appearing in different areas – bowel, bladder, prostate, lymphatic system and spine. There was a massive tumour. I was offered the standard treatment or to go onto a clinical trial. The consultant was an ultra runner and something just clicked so I decided I wanted to throw myself into the trial. It was like a double immune therapy dose. I was in unbelievable pain but the tumours shrunk and then I was given the great news that there was no active sign of disease. I’m still on the trial and have had a lot of side effects from the drugs – rashes, blisters, eyesight and nerve issues. I kept trying to work, which was tough. I couldn’t run so I walked but even that got less and less. Sometimes you don’t realise how ill you are…

After a while I started to walk again – it was probably only 75 metres at a time. When I went along to Bedford 5k Your Way I managed maybe half a lap but it was a start. Gradually I did a bit of cycling and started to run again gently. I worked up to doing a 9 mile walk and raised money for 5k Your Way and a bladder cancer charity. A couple of years ago I did a charity cycle from the Willen hospice at Milton Keynes to Paris, raising over £2k and last year I did a 30 mile ultra to raise money too. This autumn I was planning a 100 mile ultra for MOVE Against Cancer but I may have to defer it until next year as I’ve been unwell lately…

I’ve got to the stage of doing what I can, when I can. The trial is buying me time – I’ll be on it a while yet – but I’m definitely a success story of the trial. My diagnosis was that the cancer was incurable and I was inoperable so it would have been pretty bleak without the trial. In addition to eating well and resting properly, movement definitely helps. Any movement. Don’t say: “I can only walk”. We shouldn’t underestimate the impact of walking.

I’ve been to a few different 5k Your Way groups – the ones nearby like Northampton, Oxford, Bedford, Cambridge – but also one of the Welsh ones when we were on holiday there. I live in Milton Keynes so I’d love to set up a 5k Your Way group at the parkrun there. I’ve already connected with the Run Director and initial plans are underway. I really want to give something back. In my darkest days 5k Your Way gave me something to look forward to: I could talk or not talk, walk slowly, jog, whatever. If I can inspire others then they might benefit in the way that I have done. I recently did a half marathon in Milton Keynes and I was wearing my 5k Your Way t-shirt. A lady said: “Well done, 5k Your Way!” It’s so good to do a bit of awareness-raising on the side…

If you’d like to donate to Andy’s fundraiser here’s the link: http://bit.ly/3U2rb1I