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Cancer survivor completes 107.85km ultramarathon just months after finishing chemotherapy

Local News by Matthew Hancock-Bruce 2 minutes ago  
David Barrow and Wayne Benson recently took on the Isle of Wight Ultra Challenge (Credit: Supplied)
David Barrow and Wayne Benson recently took on the Isle of Wight Ultra Challenge (Credit: Supplied)
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A cancer survivor has completed a 107.85km run just months after completing chemotherapy.

Congleton resident David Barrow and his friend Wayne Benson recently took on the Isle of Wight Ultra Challenge.

In doing so, the pair raised over £3,500 for Bowel Cancer UK – a charity close to David's heart.

The 47-year-old said: "This time last year I was finishing chemotherapy. That's why we ran.

"Sore feet and shot legs feel like a very good trade!

"At around 68 kilometres, with my heel split open in the dark, I kept repeating a mantra a mate gave me, 'take four steps'. Just four steps, then four more.

"And when even that felt hard, I thought about the hospital corridors 15 months ago, pacing them the day after surgery with a dead leg. I thought about chemo. A sore heel on the Isle of Wight was never going to be as bad as that."

Wayne and David raised over £3,500 for Bowel Cancer UK (Credit: Supplied)

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David and Wayne crossed the finishing line at 3.30am on Saturday, May 4 – precisely 19 hours, 59 minutes and 50 seconds after they started.

The pair battled heat, torrential rain, cliff paths, pitch-black fields and serious blisters, with both requiring emergency strapping from course medics before switching shoes and running the final stretch to the line.

David added: "It was everything and nothing like we expected.

"Brilliant sunshine to start, which sounds lovely until you're grinding up hills at hour three.

"Then torrential rain in the afternoon, which, honestly, was a relief. Pitch-black cliff paths after dark. A staircase somewhere around 90km that had us laughing and swearing in equal measure.

"Both Wayne and I needed strapping from course medics along the way, we swapped shoes and socks mid-race, and we still somehow found the legs to run across the finish line."

David decided to take on the Isle of Wight Ultra Challenge as a way of celebrating the release of his new book, The Fog of Chemotherapy.

Released in April, it is the second part of his series, OH SH!T, I've got Bowel Cancer, which recounts his battle with bowel cancer.

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He said: "Reading my diary back reminded me how mad chemotherapy was and how it impacted my mood, but that's really the point.

"To help those going through or supporting someone going through a life altering diagnosis as often the mental impact is equal to or greater than the physical impact."

David and Wayne's JustGiving remains open and can be found online here.

     

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