24/04/2025
This is your sign. āNever give upā š„¹šš½
Posting this here in case you needed to see this todayā¦. And for anyone like me, absolutely bricking it about running the TCS London Marathon this weekend. ME TOO š«š
Iām terrified. I keep doubting myself. I keep getting so overwhelmed. I donāt know whether to laugh or cry. I keep asking myself why I thought I could do itā¦ especially 6 days after running the Boston Marathonā¦ my legs are BATTERED. I can barely walkā¦ I keep frantically googling how to get rid of DOMS š« Im praying I donāt have a prolapse againā¦ and due to the flight home on Tuesdayā¦ my body and face are bloated AF. I look like a massive sausage š A big cry baby sausage hahaā¦
But then I have a word with myself, calm down and try to I remember whatās possible. What Iāve done beforeā¦. The version of me in the photo above would have some serious words with me.
The photo above is me finishing the London Marathon in 2023ā¦ the photo that started this journey Iām currently on.
That photo is 18months after waking up in a hospital bed - just having had surgery for bowel cancer
That photo is 18 months after getting a stoma. Learning how to walk again, then shuffling ā¦ then running
12 months after finishing chemotherapyā¦
a treatment that ravaged my body, damaged my hands and feet and something Iām still recovering from today.
In that photo I was bloated, aching, my feet were bleeding and my body & stoma hurting so muchā¦ but I still did it. My body was fragile but my mind was so strong. I was so determined - I was determined to show whatās possible post cancer and with a stoma - and that was the thing that got me through. I knew that as soon as my feet crossed the start line I wouldnāt give up until they reached the finish. I didnāt know if I could finish but I knew I would give it my all. All I had was hope & faith.
āIt doesnāt matter what you go through in life, itās who you become in the processā
Amen to that! So whenever you doubt yourself, or get overwhelmed or think you want to give in. Look back over your life and remember youāve probably been here beforeā¦ but you didnāt give up.. and thatās why youāre still going. I believe we all go through the very things we need to give us the strength to carry us right through where we are.
Best of luck to everyone running the London Marathon this weekend. Weāve got this! Our past selves know it!! Theyāre the ones who didnāt give up so we could be here ready to run this weekend!!
And if youāre a first timer I am so excited for you! Itās the greatest race on Earth!! The crowds and other runners will carry you through! As it says on our bib this yearā¦ āwe run togetherā And I will be proudly with you, every step of the way ā¤ļø
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Ps. Please share your story if you can. To get involved, add your Marathon photo to ās 45th edition campaign using the hashtag and you could see yourself on the worldās largest collection of screens on Friday 25 April.
