Yesterday I posted, on Facebook, a brief RIP for rugby league player Steve Prescott who died of a rare form of stomach cancer aged just 39 years old.
As is the case with rugby players of both codes, Steve was not the kind of guy to take a backward step. I had the fortune to see Steve play a few times in his St Helens days, most notably in the 1996 Challenge Cup Final. This was probably one of the greatest Cup Finals in rugby league history and Steve banged in two tries from full back helping Saints to beat the Bradford Bulls 40 - 32.
When Steve was diagnosed with cancer in 2006, he was given just a few months to live. The fact that he managed 7 years again shows the spirit of the man. Nor did he sit around waiting to die but started the Steve Prescott Foundation raising hundreds of thousands of pounds for the Christie NHS Foundation and TryAssist RFL Benevolent Fund
Just last year Steve accomplished a massive challenge. In the space of a week he completed the Paris marathon, cycled from Paris to Calais, rowed across the Channel, cycled to London and ran the London Marathon.
Legend and hero are words often overused in sport these days but, in the case of Steve Prescott MBE, they couldn't be more appropriate.
It is all of the above that has motivated me to push through the entirety of the Beacons Ultra this coming Saturday no matter how long it takes or how much it hurts. Due to a worrying lack of training, I had thought of giving the first loop a bit of effort and then putting my feet up in the hotel room before enjoying a beer or eight on Saturday evening, however I would be doing an injustice to Steve's memory.
So to Martin and all his team around the course, if you see me trying to take the easy option then politely remind me of everything I have just said and ask them to keep me a pint to one side in the pub.
Next week's post should be interesting.
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