Tough Mudder 2023
Lucie Matthews is raising money for Teenage Cancer Trust
Team: Team Fortitude 2023
Story
Another year, another Tough Mudder...
Only this time it's a little different! And an even bigger challenge!
Tough Mudder Infinity.
It's not just one 15km loop, its multiple... for 9 hours. (What have I got myself into this time?!) Chip timed and racing against yourself and the clock. Training has already begun - as this is going to hurt! We take on one 15km lap in fresh mud, and then stack on laps of 15km or 5km laps to step up the distance we run. The real chalenge is if we can make it to 60km.
Now, for any average person this would be a challenge regardless. However, for an individual like myself who has fought a rare type of cancer, it is ever more challenging. In 2018 I was diagnosed with Synovial Sarcoma in my left leg. After undergoing a complex and long surgery to remove most of the tumour in a limb saving surgery, I was left with a large defecit in my lower leg. Being told that it was unlikely you would survive to your 21st Birthday let alone being told you may never walk again, and most certainly not run, lift weights or play hockey... was frankly like a red rag to a bull... but only after many many tears and heartbreak along the way. Following on from surgery I had over 6 weeks of intense daily radiotherapy, which within a week broke down my scar and left me with some incredibly severe skin damage, which got progressively wose as treatment intensified. After ending up with an infection in my leg, having had 16 weeks of daily treatments and a multitude of different antibiotics to fight the infection, daily bandage changes, I was told that if it didn't turn a corner in the next 24-48 hours, I was facing an amputation, I turned that corner, Had it not been for the daily work my nurses put in, the constant phonecalls from my YSC and TCT CNS I wouldn't have got through that period. If you know me then you know sport is my absolute life. I work, play, breathe and sleep sport.
Within 9 months I was up and walking fully unaided, It took a further 12 months for me to build up enough muscle for me to even think about trying to run on it... Due to not having any feeling from my knee down, learning to walk was a challenge, and running was going to take more training than I could ever imagine. With the help and constant support from my physio, it was time to really put my leg to the test. Could I run?.... so admittedly it was only about 15m outside my physio practice, but it was enough for me to know I could and would get back into the gym, hockey pitch, and maybe even the remote possibility that one day I could really push my body, and more importantly my leg to the ultimate limit.
In 2021, after a quick phonecall from a friend after our weekend plans got cancelled she asked if I wanted to do a Tough Mudder Classic (10 miles) with her the following weekend... so obviously with no training I agreed! I knew a little of what to expect as I had done an 'In the City' 5k Tough Mudder (on crutches) pre covid... So we went, we smashed it, and I loved every minute. So when 2022 rolled around I signed up without a moments thought. After attending a trip sailing with the Ellen Macarther Cancer trust (Agaian just yet another incredible charity who support young people who have been through cancer) I recruited some fellow young people to complete the course with me! So the three of us and a few friends went out and again, absolutely smashed it!! The Ellen Macarthur trust gave me so my confidence back. I felt like I was able to do anything I put my mind to.
Roll around to now, November 2022, a few months after doing Tough Mudder South West 2022, I've had the bright idea to push myself even further than I ever have before. The Challenge of 60km is huge, not just for my physical body, but mentally I know this will be a battle against pain, against 'the wall' and against all of the emotions this will produce. The achievement after will be huge, so naturally I'm going to try my best to smash this out of the park too!
If I happen to crawl to the finish line don't mind me...
I will update this page regularly with training shinanigans, runs, and what we are doing to spread awareness of Childhood cancer.
I'd love it if you could share this page to get it far and wide! All of your donations make a huge difference to Teenage Cancer Trust and help them support young people with cancer like me and so many others I know. I have made friends for life from the unit I was on, and the support from the staff is second to none, they are all incredible. TCT work so so hard around the clock for everything but they always try to ensure that their patients are happy, able to process what they are going through (as it's a lot) and are there when things fall apart.
As a service user I know first hand the support they provide. They literally save lives 
Thanks for taking the time to visit my JustGiving page.
Donating through JustGiving is simple, fast and totally secure. Your details are safe with JustGiving - they'll never sell them on or send unwanted emails. Once you donate, they'll send your money directly to the charity. So it's the most efficient way to donate - saving time and cutting costs for the charity.