Health risks put an end to travel plans
If you have been reading my column for the last few years you will be in no doubt that running is what makes me tick – and my favourite kind is taking part in long-distance races.
I also prefer running in countries that I would otherwise never have visited and, even more so, meeting such amazing people, both indigenous and those who I have raced with.
As we all know, Covid put paid to many excursions both in the UK and overseas so I have been looking forward to being free again with planned adventures in the Sahara, Costa Rica, at Everest Base camp and Bhutan to name a few.
This week, however, I have sadly finally accepted after many months of trying all angles that I can no longer obtain insurance to race anywhere in the world, apart from in the UK. The reason is that with my pre-existing conditions of prostate cancer and osteopenia, I am considered too high a risk at seemingly any price.
It would be easy to just race without it but I have always felt going overseas without the correct insurance is irresponsible as a bad medical incident while away would mean potentially bankrupting my family. It could also cause huge issues for the race organisers and that is something I am not prepared to do.
As ever though, it’s not worth worrying about what I can’t do and instead spend time planning and enjoying what I can do. I therefore have a few UK charity treks planned, plus some British races, while also having a few ideas about what could be possible overseas without it being a ‘race’. I will tell you more in a few weeks about the first one but it’s close to a whopping 1,000 kilometres on foot!
I do hope that if – like me – you find that life isn’t perfect that you’ll shrug it off and find something that you still can do which in some way achieves the original goal.
Mine are raising awareness and funds for Prostate Cancer UK, being outside and meeting new people – and I can do all those here in the UK. Until next week,
Kev