2024 Roundup: From Chronic Fatigue to Ironman Barcelona 2025
2024: The Marathon Comeback Year
Looking back at my 2023 achievements, I celebrated the hard-won return of both my health and fitness after nine years of dedicated effort. Chronic fatigue was a thing of the past, as were the shadows of cancer and chemotherapy. While swimming and cycling were back at fulfilling levels, running remained a persistent challenge due to recurring injuries. Consequently, I made the strategic decision to defer my 2023 Manchester Marathon entry, making it my central focus for 2024. My aspiration was for this to be my marathon comeback year.
While I might be overegging things a little—I am certainly no Paula Radcliffe—back in 2014, before my health took a nosedive, I was capable of a respectable marathon time (a PB of 3 hours and 21 minutes). Ideally, I would love to approach that level again. I know it's within reach; I simply need consistent effort. With many years ahead of me (towards that London Marathon at 100 goal!), I'm in no rush.
Below are a few highlights from what has been a truly great year for me. May this positive momentum continue!
Manchester Marathon: Digging Deep and Finding the Finish Line
Woo hoo! I did it! 😊
In all honesty, race day presented a significant challenge. My ever-ambitious mindset led me to set off at an unsustainable pace, resulting in a rather long and painful second half. While I started with a target pace aimed at finishing around 3 hours and 50 minutes, I ultimately crossed the line in 4 hours and 23 minutes. I had to dig incredibly deep simply to keep moving forward, even resorting to a run-walk strategy for the final 10 kilometers.
Although not the ideal scenario I had envisioned, I successfully achieved my primary goal for 2024: completing my first marathon since navigating chronic fatigue, cancer, and chemotherapy.
This experience has reinforced for me, and hopefully demonstrated to others, that truly anything is possible when we wholeheartedly commit to our goals. Maintaining movement, in any form, undoubtedly sustained me throughout my recovery.
April 2024: Post Manchester Marathon and feeling very pleased with myself
Mallorca 2024: Back to Training Camp
Prior to 2014 and the onset of chronic fatigue, I regularly went on physically demanding training camps. Given how demanding they tend to be, cycling between 50 and 80 miles per day, I needed to be sure that I was fully recovered before committing to another.
This camp, therefore, marked another significant milestone post-chronic fatigue, cancer, and chemotherapy—an incredible week shared with the fantastic members of @knutsfordtriclub. Together, we cycled over 400km, swam around 7km, and ran a little bit too.
I firmly believe that maintaining and prioritising my nutrition and healthy lifestyle habits over the past decade has been instrumental in regaining this level of health and fitness. My current focus is on achieving a balance that allows me to push my limits at times while ensuring sufficient recovery to sustain my well-being. Thankfully, the focus has now shifted from rebuilding to maintaining my health, and that remains a key priority.
May 2024: Knutsford Triathlon Club’s unofficial Mallorca training camp.
A Decade of Transformation: Shifting from Repair to Stability
2024 has been an amazing year for me. I achieved my goals and had a lot of fun with family and friends. I feel a significant shift in my life and health, moving towards a place of stability and growth rather than constant repair and recovery. It feels wonderful to finally be here, and truthfully, I'm in a far healthier and happier place than I was before becoming ill. [Read my full story here]
Wherever you may be on your own health journey, I sincerely hope my path back to wellness offers some hope and encouragement. The human body possesses an extraordinary capacity for healing when provided with the necessary support. Our body’s fundamental drive is towards health, healing, and recovery. However, it relies on us, as its stewards, to prioritise its care in order to achieve this.
2025: The Pinnacle Goal – Ironman Barcelona
While numerous future goals are swirling in my mind, regarding my recovery from ill-health and the regaining of my fitness, there remains just one significant ambition: completing an Ironman distance triathlon—a 3.8km (2.4-mile) swim, a 180km (112-mile) cycle, followed by a 42km (26.2-mile) run.
As readers of my previous blogs or followers of @anticancerliving will know, I used to compete in these events shortly before my health declined. My overtraining and insufficient attention to my body's need for rest, repair, and recovery certainly played a part. However, I now understand that this doesn't have to be the case and that the human body, when properly cared for, is indeed capable of such incredible feats.
Proving this to myself is something I've long desired, and now I'm finally in a position to do so. After a long ten-year journey of recovery, 2025 is finally the year. Bring on Ironman Barcelona!
I'm excited about the training ahead; the journey itself is often as important as the event. However, for me, this October 5th event is the pinnacle – the culmination of a decade of hard work and unwavering determination to rebuild my health and regain my physical fitness and strength.
“People do not decide their futures, they decide their habits, and their habits decide their futures.”
- F.M. Alexander -
The adage holds profound truth, particularly when considering the creation of a bodily environment where cancer struggles to thrive. This demands consistent healthy choices in what we eat, how we live, and our surroundings, day after day. These healthy daily habits pave the way for long-term well-being and are transformative for your recovery potential.
May 2024: The beautiful, yet gruelling 10 kilometre Sa Calobra climb - Mallorca
📚 Further Reading: The Science of Movement
In case you’re in any doubt about the power of exercise in the context of cancer recovery, remember that a growing body of research consistently demonstrates that movement is being considered a form of 'targeted medicine.' Identifying a type of movement that can be sustained both during treatment and long-term afterwards is crucial for your recovery.
To understand the 9 key, scientifically supported ways exercise helps prevent cancer and recurrence—and why consistent movement is non-negotiable—read my detailed guide here: Create a Body Where Cancer Cannot Thrive: 9 Key Ways Exercise Helps Prevent Cancer.
💖 Find Your Support & Strength
If you are navigating the process of regaining fitness after chemotherapy, struggling with energy, or looking for a safe roadmap to rebuild your strength and resilience, we can support you.
Our Cancer Support Programme is designed to provide the necessary knowledge and guidance to help you achieve your best possible health outcome and quality of life.
If you do not have an active or recent cancer diagnosis but are interested in long-term health, disease prevention, and achieving your personal fitness goals, check out our Optimise Health & Healthy Aging Programme for more information.
👋 Let's Stay Connected
If you would like to read more about my personal experience with breast cancer and my journey back to great health—which is the foundation for all my programmes—you can find more in-depth information here:
I look forward to connecting with you and supporting your journey! You can also follow me and join the conversation on: