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Moving MY Way Through Cancer

Linda shares her experience of learning to walk a new path when cancer disrupted her plans for this year’s London marathon…

I ran the London Marathon “my way” with my son in April 2025.  At the time I felt well – in fact, on top of the world. A routine CT scan had shown stable disease and the oncology team gave me “permission” to travel to New Zealand to see our daughter. I felt privileged to be offered a London Marathon place for 2026 to fundraise for and promote MOVE Against Cancer. Life felt positive, yet little did I know what was to be ahead of me!

While we were on holiday I began to notice a stiffness in my back that gradually worsened. At first the discomfort responded to pain relief, but it always seemed more intense at night. Looking back this was a red flag for someone with metastatic breast cancer.  After six weeks the pain became unbearable. When I arrived home I sought help immediately. My oncology team acted very promptly with an MRI scan and I was diagnosed with metastatic spinal cord compression. I was prescribed high dose steroids and radiotherapy. Within a couple of weeks I was comfortable again and really grateful for the care I had.

I was advised ‘You can walk, but no impact sport and no more running.’Coming to terms with this was incredibly difficult. Exercise had become an essential part of my life: it gave me a buzz, relieved stress and helped me regulate my emotions on the rollercoaster of living with cancer. The thought of losing that was huge. I was also gaining more understanding about the extent of the spread of the cancer…

At the July 5k Your Way parkrun weekend, I was still on steroids and halfway through my radiotherapy. Without overthinking it, I put on my blue t-shirt and turned up at the park. I found the 5k Your Way group and when someone gently asked how I was, my lip quivered and my eyes filled with tears. I briefly shared my story and after a warm group hug, we started walking the route together. I knew I could rest or stop at any time, but together we completed it. Walking, chatting, and simply being there lifted my spirits more than I had expected.

After the parkwalk one of the oncologists took me to one side and listened to my story. Although he didn’t know my individual case he agreed that exercise, fresh air and being with peers could be as medicinal as the drugs he prescribed in his clinic. In that moment I felt validated and experienced an exercise-induced high. His words stayed with me: it’s early days, take it one day at a time.

The past few months have been challenging: a huge adjustment, facing anxiety about the future, a sense of lost identity and the reality of being less active. I’ve had to dig deep. Regular check-ins with the Cancer Coach Steph helped rebuild my confidence and self-esteem.  Reminding me to be kind to myself, to practise compassion, take it one step at a time.  

With the help of 1:1 counselling I’ve also taken time to reflect on my “why?” and what feels right for me now.  It’s an adjustment and I had to work hard to bounce back.  I feel I’ve reset to my new “normal” and I now focus on strength exercises within my limits and have rekindled a joy in Nordic walking at parkruns. I continue my parkwalking tourism and proudly promote 5k Your Way.

While training for the London Marathon this year is no longer on my horizon, what remains absolutely unchanged is my belief in MOVE Against Cancer and my determination to support the charity. I’m deeply grateful for the encouragement and kindness I’ve received.  That I made the connection with “my people”, the 5k Your Way buddies. These are peers who truly understand and believe that exercise while living with cancer is not only possible but beneficial.  It has helped me rebound and given me the strength to feel positive, to continue fundraising – I will be going ahead with the fundraising events as planned. 

If you’re reading this and haven’t yet tried a 5k Your Way parkrun or walk, perhaps this is the time. It might just change how you feel.