Desire to inspire the marathon men
This week was a humbling experience for me. While I am honoured to have the opportunity to speak and write about my life with cancer, I never really take it for granted that anyone will be that interested as, let’s face it, I am just another ordinary person who’s been dealt the cancer card.
So when I was invited to speak at the Marathon Des Sables Expo (which happens to be my favourite ultra-marathon), I did wonder why people would want to hear about my journey as I guessed it would be very different to all of theirs and therefore maybe not that relevant.
I stood on the stage with some trepidation looking out at all the faces of wannabe finishers of this great race in 2023 and then it clicked for me.
It was then I remembered sitting where they were back in 2015, a head full of questions and fearful about what I had signed up for.
The equivalent speaker to me at the time was James Cracknell, the Olympic gold medal rower, and I remember listening to what he had to say but finding it hard to compare his standard of fitness and strength to mine, and I wasn’t alone.
However, I realised that I was different – and that is my strength. I am not an
Olympic anything, just Kev, the guy who works for a bank and wants to chase his dreams while he still can, never giving up until its physically not possible.
My presentation was not about “look at me, how strong and fast I am” but more along the lines of if I can take on this 150-mile race in the Sahara – and complete it four times – with terminal cancer, then there’s nothing stopping the generally younger, fitter and unaffected-by-cancer folks in front of me.
After the presentation, I was amazed that so many people sought me out among the stands in the Expo just to chat and encourage me to keep on talking and pushing.
Many had read my book Dead Man Running yet hearing me speak live, they said, had put tears in their eyes. This reminded me of why I do what I do and helped rejuvenate my desire to inspire.
I hope you also don’t hide your light under a bushel. If you do, take it out now and shine.