My story is one of personal struggle with a little known condition and a long, slow road to recovery...

In the summer of 2013 I have suffered from a badly herniated spinal disc which had prolapsed out of the blue. I don't even remember how the trouble started, but in only a couple of months, I went from being a fit man and an occasional triathlete, to practically becoming wheel-chair bound.

Like most who suffer from the same problem, I too have struggled to get diagnosed. Only hours before going into an emergency operation, I have been informed that I am suffering from a Cauda Equina Syndrome (CES) - a very rare and frequently undetected neurologic condition that leaves most sufferers disabled in some shape or form for life. The consequences are severe. Paralysis, loss of various bodily functions, depression... The list goes on.

Without the operation I would have almost certainly ended up in a wheel chair fairly quickly, paralysed from the waist down. Just before going under the knife, I was no longer able to walk and had to crawl around the house to get by. The pain was simply too intense and I could no longer bare to stand. The chances of seeing a decent recovery were everything but high as my lower spine has been compressed for so long.

Eventually I got operated and have had a very lucky escape, luckier than most of the people that I have met who suffer the same condition. Few recover and hardly anyone ever gets back to normal. The physical changes we have to adapt to are the only the tip of the iceberg. With spinal injury getting over the mental challenges that limitations introduce is by far the hardest part.

I have put countless hours into recovery that has been going on for almost two years, but I still walk (and now run!) with a limp as I am partially paralysed. I will be racing in this event to celebrate my miraculous rebound after two years of therapy and training. 

With this stint, I also want to raise the awareness of CES, and to encourage everyone else suffering from it to put as much time and effort into their recovery as possible. I want to show what can be achieved with dedication and hard graft.

Lastly, I am also racing to thank my wife and celebrate her amazing support. Her birthday is on race day Sunday, and there is none else that I want to see more at the finish line than her, so that I can say thank you. All of this is happening on May 31st in Hide Park and you're welcome to join in for a picnic after the race.

It would be wonderful if you could help me get this story out. CES is a very serious condition, and a medical emergency, but it is often goes unnoticed or is not diagnosed until too late. While not lethal and easily resolved if caught in time, it does completely wreck most people's lives that it touches and is hard on the carers too.

None should ever go through the experience of becoming paralysed and dealing with the aftermath. It is a horrible thing. To prevent this from happening in the future, I am supporting the work of the Nichols Spinal Injury Foundation. The people behind funding some of the most promising research to fight paralysis. Check out their videos online (http://www.nsif.org.uk/media/videos) and help me donate generously towards a good cause.

Looking forward to the race day!

- Jan