Rosie Swale-Pope MBE is a British author, adventurer and marathon runner. She successfully completed a five-year around-the-world run, raising £250,000 for charity and to highlight the importance of early diagnosis of prostate cancer. Her other achievements include sailing single-handed across the Atlantic in a small boat, and trekking 3,000 miles (4,800 km) alone through Chile on horseback.
Graeme Hilditch
Graeme is a highly experienced Personal Trainer and Sports Therapist specialising in helping people of all abilities improve their cycling and running fitness.
His experience and knowledge of endurance training and nutrition has not only seen him work alongside major sports brands such as Brooks Running and Science in Sport (SiS) but also given him the chance to help thousands of people train for iconic endurance events such as the London Marathon and RideLondon.
Graeme is Author of six Running and Fitness books, including the bestselling “The Marathon and Half Marathon: A Training Guide,” a book which BBC Newsreader and prolific marathon runner Sophie Raworth ranked as one of her top five favourite books. His books have been sold worldwide and translated into several languages.
A highly sought after presenter, Graeme also offers health and wellbeing talks and consultations for leading companies to help raise awareness of the benefits of exercise and nutrition to improve physical and mental health.
His passion for improving people’s health and wellbeing by training for running and cycling challenges makes Graeme a fantastic Ambassador for Bike and Run 4 Cancer.
“I am honoured to have been asked to be an Ambassador for this amazing charity. If my passion for running and cycling can help to raise awareness of cancer and the importance of respite care, then it makes my job even more rewarding than I could ever have hoped.”
I came across Run 4 Cancer while I was looking for a charity to support while running my first (and probably last) marathon.
In April 2013, my Dad was diagnosed with cancer for the second time. After having two years of clear results, it had come back. This completely floored us as a family. Especially when the Doctors told us we probably had 6 months left together.
I made a decision to run my first marathon for my Dad. I grew up in New Milton, where the New Forest Marathon used to start and finish. My Dad was a local GP to the area for many years, so what better race for me to enter, as Dad wouldn’t have to go too far to watch me over the line and was a marathon we knew well growing up as a family.
For my first triathlon in 2010, Mum and Dad came to support me and watch me over the line. And brought a well-deserved post-race picnic.
My Dad was a very active man, we spent a fantastic two-week holiday for his 60th birthday sailing in Turkey with my husband, Mum and a very good friend of theirs. He loved his sailing, golf, cycling in the new forest and walking in the hills. He was taking Italian classes with my Mum, as it was a country they dearly loved and had once thought about retiring over there until the first diagnosis.
We were all booked to go on a family sailing respite day with Run 4 Cancer, a few days before my parent’s ruby wedding anniversary in June 2013. Unfortunately, Dad passed away on 18th May 2013, 6 weeks after his diagnosis. Significantly quicker than the 6 months we had been hoping for.
I went on to run the marathon with a great big picture of my Dad on my back, the support out there although not as busy like the London Marathon, but from the runners particularly the 100 club was amazing. I managed to get over the line in 5 hours and a few seconds. We had a post marathon drinks back at my Mum’s house in memory of Dad. And in the process, I managed to raise some money for Run 4 Cancer.
I am happy to be an Ambassador for Run 4 Cancer because of what the charity offers, respite days for families dealing with cancer and supporting local hospices with grants. The smaller things that reach families far quicker than the medical research charities, and can really make a significant impact on a family.
You can’t beat a lovely fresh morning run to get rid of your worries and brighten up any day.
Howard Crompton
When growing up I was part of the cross country and athletics running team at high school. I enjoyed the miles that we had to run, maybe it was something to do with being out of a classroom! As the years went on due to the fact I had a drivers license I stop running. I hit my late 20’s and I started to run again, just for the odd occasion and along the beach of an evening. This led to the dream of running a marathon. As I was a crew member of the local RNLI Lifeboat I ran the London Marathon to celebrate my 30th. From then on I was hooked. I ran more and more and the distances were creeping up too. It led to training for triathlons too.
In 2012 I was supporting a team running from the Arc de Triomphe in Paris to Marble Arch in London. One day I decided to join them, 35 miles later I stopped. As the years went on the more 10kms, half marathons and marathons I did and so I wanted the next challenge, 2018 was the year of the Ultra Marathon, 53 miles.
I always thought that I wouldn’t be affected by cancer. No one in my family was diagnosed, then one day I got that call. In 2018 my Uncle was diagnosed with terminal cancer. His back pain that had been bothering him for some time was actually cancer of the spine and soon liver cancer. He fought hard for four months and sadly in July 2018 he lost his battle.
I’m truly honoured to be asked to be an ambassador for Run 4 Cancer, I hope that I can raise even more awareness for the charity and raise the vital funds to help people with this dreadful disease.
Geordie Klein
Geordie is a trail running enthusiast and has been quoted as saying “Trailrunning… I just love it!” As a keen runner, Geordie is always looking for a challenge. Preferably trail running but a nice road race is also welcome 🙂
I just love trailrunning, e.g. running through forest, hills, mountains, along the beach, through farmland, up & down, left & right, mud, wet, rocky, dust, off road, winding paths, desert, snow, high altitude. Long before it was called trailrunning probably many of us were already enjoying just running through nature. Now you have trailrunning, mountain running, vertical ascent and descent …and ultra trailrunning … going past the marathon distance … I am certainly hooked on the longer distance and multi stage trailruns both organised and on ‘do it yourself’- just follow a national trail and camp or B&B’.
I feel very blessed that I am able to run almost every day. During all these kilometres, especially when on the forest trails, my mind may drift away to thoughts of my mother and mother in law who were struck by cancer very hard. I am sure they would really have enjoyed to visit us living in the UK, going for a Sunday walk followed by a lunch in a two century old Inn.
Luckily I am also fortunate that my father and other family members and friends are surviving cancer through ever improving treatments and support.
Experiencing myself the healthy and mindful benefits of being outdoors and knowing how much especially my mother and mother-in-law enjoyed being out walking and cycling, I am really proud that Run 4 Cancer asked me not only to raise funds but also be an ambassador. My focus is on getting people out of the house, away from the road and onto the trails by organising local trailrun clinics and writing and talking about my passion!
The trails are there for all of us to explore, enjoy, leave nothing behind but your footsteps and take home a great feeling of satisfaction and good memories. It fits Run 4 Cancer with its focus on the mental benefits of going ‘out of the door’ on coping with cancer and supports research in this specific area of cancer treatment (as part of an holistic approach to cancer treatment).
If you live near Northwood, London, so if you want to experience trailrunning just let me know. I will show you the richness of English trailrun nature for a small donation :).
You can follow Geordie’s journey here.
Emily Proto
Emily has been a keen runner since 2011 and has completed seven marathons to date (fastest time: 2 hours 54 minutes at the Florence Marathon in 2017). Emily is very competitive and once she has achieved a certain target, she is already thinking about the next one. Emily can often be found running along Brighton and Hove seafront proudly wearing her Run 4 Cancer running vest!
