Erika's Marathon Challenge!!
Erika Poole
My Story
As most people know, I was diagnosed with Breast Cancer (Invasive Lobular Carcinoma) in September 2022, the week before the OCR World Championships. I flew to Boston not knowing if my first ever Worlds was also going to be my last. The experience was amazing and bittersweet. But from that moment, I decided that I was going to do everything I could to continue on my strength and fitness journey, and cancer was NOT going to hold me back. So, I set myself a challenge, I wanted to run the 2024 London Marathon.
In October '22, I had mastectomy surgery and was back at my evening job teaching aerial circus within two weeks. At four weeks I was climbing a rope, and at six, I was back training OCR. At 12 weeks, I managed the rings and monkey bars. Unfortunately, my doctors had also found cancer in my lymph nodes, so I had to start chemotherapy. I trained as much as I could during chemo, but it did take alot out of me. I lost my hair, was fatigued and couldnt run for weeks. But I never stopped doing whatever I could.
I finished five months of chemo in April '23, and ran a Spartan Super (10K) race the next weekend. It was amazing to be back with everyone racing, but it felt very hard. I also had further bad news. I was going to have to have another surgery to remove my lymph nodes and would be out the rest of the summer. I would also have 3 weeks of radiation. Despite it all, I kept running and strength training, as much as possible. I've now finished active treatment and though I still have alot of challenges ahead with post treatment, I am totally focused on my goals.
I knew I really wanted to do the Marathon for a cancer charity, and Breast Cancer Now was kind enough to give me a spot to run on their team. Breast Cancer Now has been invaluable for the help that they give us on all aspects of the journey. They offer support and tonnes of information every step of the way. They also undertake research which will be hugely important in the study of the disease.
I would love if everyone that has been so amazingly supportive of my journey, could support me and Breast Cancer Now for this challenge. I've got lots of training to do to get me marathon ready (the longest run Ive ever done was 25k), and it's going to take months for me to regain the fitness that cancer has taken. But cancer doesn't get to win! I won't let it!
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Target
£3,500
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Raised so far
£3,618
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Number of donors
131
My Story
As most people know, I was diagnosed with Breast Cancer (Invasive Lobular Carcinoma) in September 2022, the week before the OCR World Championships. I flew to Boston not knowing if my first ever Worlds was also going to be my last. The experience was amazing and bittersweet. But from that moment, I decided that I was going to do everything I could to continue on my strength and fitness journey, and cancer was NOT going to hold me back. So, I set myself a challenge, I wanted to run the 2024 London Marathon.
In October '22, I had mastectomy surgery and was back at my evening job teaching aerial circus within two weeks. At four weeks I was climbing a rope, and at six, I was back training OCR. At 12 weeks, I managed the rings and monkey bars. Unfortunately, my doctors had also found cancer in my lymph nodes, so I had to start chemotherapy. I trained as much as I could during chemo, but it did take alot out of me. I lost my hair, was fatigued and couldnt run for weeks. But I never stopped doing whatever I could.
I finished five months of chemo in April '23, and ran a Spartan Super (10K) race the next weekend. It was amazing to be back with everyone racing, but it felt very hard. I also had further bad news. I was going to have to have another surgery to remove my lymph nodes and would be out the rest of the summer. I would also have 3 weeks of radiation. Despite it all, I kept running and strength training, as much as possible. I've now finished active treatment and though I still have alot of challenges ahead with post treatment, I am totally focused on my goals.
I knew I really wanted to do the Marathon for a cancer charity, and Breast Cancer Now was kind enough to give me a spot to run on their team. Breast Cancer Now has been invaluable for the help that they give us on all aspects of the journey. They offer support and tonnes of information every step of the way. They also undertake research which will be hugely important in the study of the disease.
I would love if everyone that has been so amazingly supportive of my journey, could support me and Breast Cancer Now for this challenge. I've got lots of training to do to get me marathon ready (the longest run Ive ever done was 25k), and it's going to take months for me to regain the fitness that cancer has taken. But cancer doesn't get to win! I won't let it!
