Being told I have testicular cancer was not on the agenda and not part of my life plan.

A bike ride in November and an overzealous descent made me aware of some pains below. A trip to the doctors after being nagged by the wife turned out to be a trip to the hospital. I still thought that nothing was wrong and went about my day and started my shift at work. My phone rang around 4pm and the nurse said to me that I needed to make another appointment. I was naive to what I was about to be told and looking at my busy schedule I suggested the appointment should be in a few weeks. The nurse reiterated that I need to speak to the doctor ASAP and suggested I attend the hospital the next day. 

The next day I attended the hospital where I remember the words “you have cancer”. This was all too much for my fainting rock (wife) by my side as she passed out!! Something I am still living off now!! In my moment of need I walked to the water fountain to get my wife some water, digesting exactly what I have been told. Being naive to it I started thinking the worse and was quickly brought back down to earth by the Macmillan nurse.

A few days later I had an operation where they removed the testicle and found 3 tumours. A little sore and lighter I left the hospital with no idea of what I had signed up for!!

The last couple of years have been a test and my life has changed somewhat. Before I was racing Ironman at a high standard and living a pretty hectic lifestyle. Now I struggle with low hormones, fatigue and other complications which have been frustrating and I would say that it’s taken time to adjust to this new way of life. 

After treatment I am now under surveillance, where I regularly have scans and blood tests. I am one of the lucky ones who can now appreciate the life I love so much.

To complete an Ironman is a mental and physical battle for me and something I need to get out of my system to give me some closure of coping with diagnosis. 

This is about the journey back to racing after a rollercoaster of health a few years on.

The races will be:

- New Forest Middle Tri 2024

- Yorkshire Marathon 2024

- Portsmouth Marathon 2024

- Ironman Lanzarote 25

- Ironman Wales 25

Anyone who knows me now understands that this is no easy challenge and will definitely be my biggest test yet.

Raising money for Macmillan is both very personal and  important to me so please donate if you can. 

30% of the value of the sponsorship (not including Gift Aid) that I collect (up to the cost of my entry fee) will be reimbursed. This means that Macmillan receives the benefit of 70% or more of my sponsorship.