Gazette News
MS sufferer to run London Marathon for charity
4:40pm Tuesday 21st February 2012
A SOUTH Lakes man who was diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis in November will run the London Marathon in April.
Keen runner Stuart Hurst, 46, of Summerville Road, Milnthorpe, was rocked by a sudden ‘numbness’ after he completed the Mary Towneley Loop in the Southern Pennines four years ago – but had to wait another three years before his diagnosis.
Stuart said: “I got a numb feeling from my chest down and unfortunately it came out last year that I have Multiple Sclerosis.
“You have to just keep going though. I don’t know what the future holds so I am just training as hard as I can now for the marathon and I will try to enjoy it as much as I can on the day.
“We are very much in the early days of my diagnosis so all I know is that there are two forms – one which is really aggressive and the other which comes in stages which can see the level of disability increase dramatically.”
The Dallam Running Club member completed the Bob Graham Round – a course of 42 peaks to be completed within 24 hours – in 2010 in 22 hours and 57 minutes despite a knee injury plaguing his effort.
He added: “When I finished the Bob Graham I decided I wanted to do a marathon and there are none bigger than London.
“I achieved the ultimate in fell running through the Bob Graham and now I am on the roads trying to prepare for the marathon, even if it is just for the experience.”
Stuart will raise funds for the MS Trust and Rett UK when he takes to the 26.2 mile course around England’s capital. He added: “The information I have had and the support from nurses has been pretty good and I want to give a bit back now while I can, rather than looking back in 20 years and thinking I should have done something.”
Two weeks after the marathon, Stuart and a group of Dallam club-mates will take on the Coast to Coast challenge from St Bees Head to Robin Hood Bay. To make a donation, call Stuart on 01539 564293.