My mother’s partner entered our lives about six years ago after getting to know my mother through a hiking group. He'd already been battling prostate cancer for nearly 20 years, enduring various rounds of chemotherapy treatments.
Back then, chemotherapy wasn’t as advanced as it is today, and it took a severe toll on his life and well-being. He suffered through multiple treatments, which not only failed to eliminate the cancer but actually spread it to other parts of his body.
Sadly, we lost him two years ago. Despite never achieving complete remission, he defied all expectations and doctors’ predictions.
He maintained his fitness and was an avid runner, even before his cancer diagnosis. He often spoke about running as a means to improve not only his physical health but also his mental well-being. His dedication inspired me to take up running, and he spent many days helping me fine tuning my running form.
During that time, I also experienced the loss of a friend, Karl, to a brain tumour. Karl kept swimming up to a week before his death, which showed that you have to enjoy being able to do the things that make you happy as long as you can. I then continued running even longer distances as I felt the sheer privilege of being able to do so.
Running became deeply intertwined with these significant people in my life and now serves as a means of managing my own mental health.