Running Tales Podcast: Tony Collier
How one runner’s incurable prostate cancer diagnosis has inspired him to raise awareness and keep on running
Tony Collier was a late starter when it came to running, but he made up for lost time.
Despite being in his 50s, Tony achieved an impressive series of running goals - from sub-20 parkruns to a host of completed marathons, including all six majors.
In 2016, he finished the 55-mile Comrades Ultra Marathon in South Africa. And despite originally vowing not to do it again, he was soon preparing to return for the 'back-to-back' event.
It was a race he never reached.
Almost a year after conquering the Comrades, Tony was diagnosed, out-of-the-blue, with incurable prostate cancer.
Shocked, his first question to the doctors was whether he could carry on running. The emphatic answer was yes - and Tony has done just that.
Despite facing several medical challenges, he's completed races from the London Marathon to a two-day ultra.
You can sponsor Tony to complete his challenge to run or hike 5km every day in 2022 here: https://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/5k365days
And he's currently nearing the end of this year's challenge - completing a 5km run or hike every day in 2022.
Perhaps even more importantly, Tony has become a prostate cancer ambassador, raising awareness of the disease in the hope he can help others to get an earlier - and better - diagnoses than he did.
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