Marathon Memories
Can you believe it's been a whole year since I tackled the London Marathon? Spoiler alert: life threw me a curveball that makes dodging potholes on the marathon route seem like a walk in the park!
Picture this: me, lacing up my trainers, ready to conquer the 26.2 miles of London. Little did I know, I was also running a marathon against cancer – talk about a plot twist even Hollywood would envy!
When I was diagnosed – after the collective jaw drops – the first thing most people said to me was "But you ran a marathon this year!" I know, right? How does one train for a marathon while battling cancer? Apparently, I'm a master of multi-tasking without even knowing it!
Life lesson learned: sometimes the symptoms aren't that obvious. Feeling tired and shedding weight? Must be the intense marathon training, right? Wrong!
Fast forward to today, and here I am, juggling a bag of mixed emotions like a circus performer. Sadness that I ran the marathon not knowing I had cancer, longingness for the “old me”, pride that I’ve run the London marathon(!), confusion that I was able to run a marathon whilst having cancer, happiness that the cancer didn’t stop me from running the marathon… you name it, I'm feeling it!
Scrolling through last year's marathon photos feels like flipping through a photo album of a parallel universe. Do I even belong in that old life anymore? It’s difficult and I feel pretty lost at the moment because of it. I feel as though, if I was to ever run a marathon again, it would be a completely different person running it.
It’s a strange feeling – back when cancer was present but invisible, I felt invincible, like I could conquer mountains without a second thought. But now, armed with the knowledge of my past battle, I find myself shackled by the weight of that awareness.
But, amidst the chaos, there's a glimmer of hope. With each stride, I'm rewriting the script of my marathon journey. Sure, the road may be different this time around, but the destination remains the same: reaching the finish line! With each step, I'm rewriting the narrative, proving that the human spirit is unbreakable and unstoppable.
Life's relay race may throw us some unexpected baton passes, but with grit, determination, and a killer playlist, we'll sprint towards the finish line, triumphant and unyielding.