Coping with Cancer - Exercise

Happy new year from planet cancer. After a couple of weeks of big eating and big partying its back to reality: painful injections, toxic chemotherapy drugs and, worst of all, work!

The REALLY good news is that I’m now off the hardcore Oxaliplatin drugs. The bad news is, I still have three months of Capecitabine (pills that you’re not allowed to touch because there so poisonous). Ah well, it might get rid of that New Year’s hangover.

Today I want to talk about exercise. Its something that most of us try and do more of in the new year, but also something that many of us find ourselves doing much less of by April. As I mentioned a few weeks ago, I’ve made a pledge to run the London Marathon in April, despite all that’s happened, and so I better do some training. Exercise is good for us. It keeps us healthy and stops us getting horrible diseases. Right?

I really want to still believe this, but there is nagging voice in the back of my head that tells me otherwise. ‘You spent ten years drinking heavily, smoking, eating crap food and you were absolutely fine. Then you spent ten years cycling, running, eating well, stretching, and you got cancer.’

The weak side of me thinks its not fair. I did everything right and I got sick. Other people sat on the couch eating crisps and watching Netflix and they’re absolutely fine. What happened to all those wonderful health benefits? How did things to work out so badly?

There is no answers to these questions. Cancer is not a simple maths equation. The main reason, according to my oncologist (who has spent his life researching why we get this disease), is bad luck. A faulty gene. Something that I could do nothing to change. The exercise and healthy lifestyle – it had no effect. In terms of cancer prevention, I might as well have ordered a Chinese, opened a can of Kronenburg and tucked into three hours of Love Island.

However, this is not to say exercise has not helped me get through the treatment. In fact, without the lessons I’ve learned from running, I’m not sure I could made it as far as I have. Here’s a piece I wrote a few years ago:

Ten Things I’ve Learned as an Elite Marathon Runner

1. Don’t listen to anyone who tells you to be sensible.
2. Never make value judgements. Things aren’t good or bad, they’re just different
3. Don’t try to pre-think a race. It will mean NOTHING when you are on the course.
4. Find a good place and keep hold of it. Learn to develop a strong sense of this.
5. There is something great at the end. The more you move beyond your limits, the better it is.
6. Your body will always try to play things safe. Have something in your mind that is different to this. It will probably be mental, but keep believing in it.
7. Don’t get cocky. There is always someone better than you. But always be proud of your successes.
8. Don’t give up alcohol. The sense of guilt can sometimes be invaluable.
9. Develop ways to push your limits. Walk up that mountain, get on that plane - when your brain tells you to take the sensible option – don’t take it.
10. Eat lots, rest lots and have a good sofa

Running twenty-six miles may not have been the healthiest pastime, but it showed me how to cope with hardship. These lessons enabled me to understand hardship, to know how far my body can go and to remain positive when everything’s going against you. Yep, chemo’s pretty rough going – but trust me, its not as tough as the last five miles of a marathon, or cycling up a mountain in Ethiopia or running the final hill in the National Cross country championship. There is a finish and you will make it, however hard it gets.

Exercise doesn’t cure cancer, but it has kept me sane and happy during the toughest times. Whatever’s wrong with you, however hard life gets, trust me - you always feel better after a run.

Good luck with whatever good intentions you have for 2018.

Until next time,

Ben