Hi and welcome back to Run to Run.
Tonight's guests, we've got a little bit different show for
you tonight. We're the guest is not here to
talk about her achievements, talk about herself.
Instead, she's talking about what she's doing for charity and
the chosen chosen can't even talk.
Her chosen charity is Prostate Cancer UK and she's got an
entertaining twist on how she's raising money for the charity,
but we'll get into that in a minute.
Welcome to the show, Lizzie Gatherer.
Thank you very much. Really pleased to be here.
Thank you. So we'll get right into it.
Tell us about what the the challenge is and some
interesting Strava art that you might be doing.
Yeah. So I will confess immediately,
it's not an original challenge. It was done back in 2024 by a
chap called Terry Rosamund. And yeah, it's a, it's a very
interesting shape. It's the, it's the shape of a
penis. So it's a 70 mile, 70 mile cock
and balls in the Brecon Beacons, which is actually my favorite,
favorite place to run. And the idea behind this is to
raise. Well, when Terry did it, Terry
Rosamund did it back in November.
It was for the November charity and, and I got in touch with
him. Well, I, I saw the route on his
Strava and I was like, I need to do that.
I really, I don't know why, but I really need a massive penis on
my Strava because I just thought it was really, really funny.
And then, and then I sort of read the article, learned a bit
more about it and realized why he had done it.
So I got in touch with him a few weeks ago just to check I had
his blessing to do the route and to check if there was a specific
charity he wanted me to raise for.
But he said, you know, do whichever charity you would
like. So yes, I'm raising money for
Prostate Cancer UK and yeah, and it will be happening on
Saturday, not too long actually, Saturday 21st of February, I
will be doing this challenge. I think it's it's almost a
cliche that you, if you're doing any Strava art, it has to be
cock and balls. I remember doing one many, many
years ago, but it was probably 1/2 mile or something like that.
So in comparison, a little bit, a little bit colder.
Oh, you're right. Well, I actually, I've obviously
missed out on this, this Strava art because all the things I've
done that tend to be like Christmas themes or with my boot
camp, we we were setting each other challenges, but they were
all quite innocent. So I didn't realize it was an
actual thing. But it's got, I mean, when Terry
did it, he wanted to get, he wanted to verify it with, with
Guinness World Records and they didn't accept it.
I can't think why. And also FKT won't accept it
either. And I was, I did, I did have a
back and forth with them because I couldn't, I, from my point of
view, haven't done quite a few FPTS.
I couldn't understand why they wouldn't accept it.
Because it is in a beautiful part of the country.
It's a really runnable route. If you want to do it fast, you
you could do it really fast. But then they sort of enlighten
me that apparently they have quite a lot of submissions for
basically for strata art. And that's just something
because if they accept that, then that'll open the floodgates
and all sorts of things will be be going in.
So, so yeah. So it's it's an unofficial,
unofficial world record as the largest cock and balls GPS
trace. So yeah, looking forward to it.
So the chosen charity is Prostate Cancer UK.
Why that charity specifically? Well, it's, there's a few
reasons really. So until recently, cancer is not
something I've had to think about day-to-day.
I've had friends who've had breast cancer, I've had friends
who've had prostate cancer, but it was, it was before I met
them. So it's not something you know,
it's just something I've been aware of.
But now I actually, one of my family members, my
father-in-law, he's been, he's receiving treatment for prostate
cancer. I've got an elderly friend in
hospital. She's she's stage 4 bile duct
cancer. I'm visiting her quite
frequently at the moment. And, and whilst I'm visiting
her, I've made friends with another lady on, on the ward.
She's actually the same age as me and she's got pancreatic
cancer. So I just felt like I just
wanted to do something. I wanted to feel that I was
being useful beyond, beyond visiting my friend and beyond,
you know, worried about my father-in-law.
I, I just wanted to feel like I was doing something.
The shape obviously lends itself to prostate cancer.
And it's, it is quite fitting actually because a lot of the
people I run with are men and they are generally 50 and
upwards. And this is the key age for when
you should be going to the doctor's to get yourself
checked. So it just seems to yeah, it
seems to work. The the run that you're doing,
you mentioned it's through the Brecon Beacons.
Is there a particular part of the appendage that is going to
be the hardest, as it were? For me personally it's going to
be the balls and that's not because it's a lot of elevation
or it's difficult to rain. They are actually in Cricow,
which is a beautiful, beautiful village, but it's all on road
and I am not a Roadrunner. And that will be sort of 50 plus
miles in. I've realised at that point it
would be sensible to change to roaches, but I don't do ultra on
the roads. Therefore my roaches are the
correct size for my feet. They are not half a size or a
whole size bigger. So if I were to put my Rd. shoes
on, I really don't think I'd be very comfortable at that point.
So I'm going to have to do that section.
Yes, I'm going to have to do 20 odd miles on the road in trail
shoes. And for me, the road is not the
most exciting place to be, but it's still, it's still quite a
scenic. It's it's still quite scenic.
It'll be enjoyable. But I think mentally that would
be quite tough and it it might be quite tough on my feet as
well at that point. If it helps at all, I don't go
with the half size up for anything, I just use shoes that
actually fit so. OK.
Oh, right. OK.
Yeah. It's just whatever personal
preference I think. Yeah, yeah.
And how have people reacted to the shape of the root?
Are people looking quite forward to it?
Are they? They just find it funny.
Yeah, I mean, it's, it's a great shape.
But the reason why Terry, Terry Rosamund chose it was because
he, he thought that men would find it a funny shape.
They would engage more with, with what he was doing.
And I am absolutely finding this, the amount of people
who've sent me funny text messages or, you know, just been
giggling as soon as they, they've seen me and said, oh,
I've heard, you know, I've heard about your upcoming challenge.
So the, the, the, the shape is definitely, it's definitely
humorous and it's gets people talking.
And I think, yeah, I, I, I think having that sort of funny, that
funny shape through humour, I think we're able to open up
more, we can relate more, I suppose by by making light of a
really serious situation, we seem to be able to talk more
freely about it. So I recently had my running
clubs training camp. So that was a three day weekend
in Dartmoor and pretty much the most of the four hour journey
there. Various times at camp and the
four hour journey back, someone somewhere was talking to me
about this run and then about prostate cancer and their
personal experiences with it or experiences, you know, family
members have had. So yeah, it's, it's definitely,
I think having a funny shape is, is a great way to to get people
talking and. Obviously is the barriers that
you break down people. I think people find humour a
better way to start the conversation about an an awkward
subject. Yeah, yeah, I totally agree.
I mean, as ultra marathon runners, you know, things happen
on the trails and sometimes it's just best to fess up, own it and
make a joke of it. So it's it's it's the same,
Yeah. It's the same with with anything
really. I think just, yeah, just just
make light of the situation and you can, you can talk about it.
And what's the funniest comment or message that you've had on
reception? For.
This announcing the challenge. So it was from Terry, he said.
I found the shaft the hardest part to take, but once you reach
the balls, it gets a lot easier. And then someone else someone
else said make sure you don't cock it up.
I've had a few just sort of like any random comments and then I
and then I said I I, I replied to someone I said anytime my
balls up with the nab, it can be a pubic hair.
So this is this is perhaps the the one route.
I I really don't mind if I go off course because it will just
add the bit of, I don't know, add a bit extra to the to the
straw artwork. I think it's as you say, there's
so much induendo that you could put into this.
I'm I'm not even sure are we, are we going to get banned from
YouTube and Spotify for some of this?
Oh, well, I really hope not. Yeah, because a massive part of
this, it's really important to me is, is awareness.
Because it's one thing giving your money or raising money for
a charity, but but sometimes you're just doing that.
You know, you've done a good thing, but you don't really know
where your money is going or, or how that's helpful.
So a massive part for me is the awareness.
So what I've done is I've really encouraged people to come and
join me on the route. So I've got sections from as
little as there's actually a one mile section, but but let's say
as as short as 3 1/2 miles to as long as 22 1/2 miles.
I think I've got about eight people, at least eight people so
far who who will be joining me. I think I'm also going to have,
I'm pretty sure there's going to be a few people coming on bikes
for the, for the road section. And, and it's my hope that while
we run in or they're cycling with me, we can share our
stories. You know, that because everyone,
it does feel like everyone seems to know someone who's, who's had
prostate cancer or gone through treatment.
And then I hope that I can, I can help to educate them, you
know, and just encourage people to get checked really, because
prostate cancer doesn't have, it actually doesn't have a national
screening programme. So it's not something as from
how I have understood the information I've been given,
it's not something you're automatically going to get
checked for. It's something you need to, you
know, you need to go to the doctors.
And it's not, I think one of the conversations I've I've had
recently with someone, which is quite interesting.
He said that how women are quite used to having invasive tests.
It's quite normal for us, but for men it's not.
And, and, and they were wondering, is that why men don't
go? But it, it doesn't necessarily
when you go and get checked, it's not always what you think
it is. It's actually that I think the
first step is a blood test. And it's not, it's not an
invasive test. So, so it's, yeah, it's, it's no
problem to go and get tested. And I actually know someone who
two of their friends passed away from prostate cancer and his
wife was really, really nagging him to go and he was just being
that typical guy, you know, no, I'm fine.
I feel well, I don't need to go to the doctor.
Anyway, She's she really nagged him and eventually he went.
It turned out he did have it. He has been treated and he's
totally fine now. But if, if it wasn't for her
pushing him to go, he might not be with us anymore.
And that's, that's really frightening.
It is just such a simple test. So if you're 50, if you're male,
if you're black, one in four black men will get prostate
cancer in their lifetime. And one in eight men will get
prostate cancer in their lifetime.
So it's actually yeah, go and get checked is the main message
I want to I want to give really. And what's the run, Lizzie?
We've got 2 questions off of the back of this.
How do people join in? And what would the pace be as a
social charity? Pace How?
How? What's the logistics?
So I've been on my Instagram, which is Ultramad Lizzie.
I've, I've got a pinned post there and that's got a bit of
information. So you can e-mail me at
lizzie@ultramadlizzie.com. That's to express an interest.
It doesn't necessarily mean you're, you know, I'm signing
you up at all. If you want to ask questions, I
can share the route with you. And yeah, I've got all these,
these different, I've got Rd. sections, trail sections.
I've got Matt Phillips, photographer, he's coming out on
course because I thought that'd be a really nice thing.
It's it's anyone who's with me when Matt's there, it'd be great
to give them some professional photos.
And the pace is, is at the, you know, whoever, whoever is the
stubbiest runner that that will be the pace even if it's
walking. For me, it's, it's absolutely
not about time. It's having a really great day
out in the mountains feeling, yeah, that I'm feeling that I'm
doing something to help raising awareness, raising money and
yeah, just having some, some really good chats really.
So, yeah, steady, steady pace. And the the the main focus I
think is fun to be honest. I think it's going to sound like
a fun day out. I can't.
I cannot wait. This is the most excited.
I've been about a run for ages. Actually.
I just, I just can't wait. It's going to be really fun.
You mentioned the test a minute ago and I can confirm a lot of
people are nervous. They don't want to go to the GP
and get a lubed up finger up the bum.
I I've had the test, it wasn't that one.
I had a blood test because GP couldn't sort of track down, OK,
we'll just get that test done and it was just a blood test
finger prick and got the results a few days later.
It wasn't anything invasive and it is worthwhile doing, yeah.
Thank. Thank you for sharing and and
confirming what I yeah, thank you.
And you're obviously doing it all for charity.
You're out there raising money, raising awareness.
I think that awareness of it is probably as important as the
money that you're raising. What is your goals for how much
you're fundraising and how can people help with that?
I've set a target of 2000 lbs and within within 24 hours of it
going live I had received, I think, about £500 in donations.
And I was totally blown away because I've done a lot for
another charity, British Hen Welfare Trust, but that's
usually more through me hands on volunteering.
I always feel really nervous about asking for sponsorship
money because a part of it feels a bit like, I don't know, like a
popularity contest, you know, because there's always someone
raising money somewhere that I know and, you know, which, which
person can make the most noise or which charity seems the most
important. So I, I was, yeah, I was really
nervous actually, weirdly about, about making it live.
But, yeah, to, to have so many donations come in so quickly.
I was, I was absolutely blown away.
And some of them are from people I don't even know.
And I had a really, really nice message from a guy.
He, his father is living with him at home at the moment.
And unfortunately it was, it was found, it was detected too late.
And he said that he's, he's come home to, to die basically.
So I will be running. So we had a bit of a back and
forth. So I'm going to be dedicating
some of the route to to his father.
And but yeah, so it's just giving again.
Ultramat. I'm trying to keep it simple.
Ultramat, Lizzy, everything, my Instagram, my e-mail, my just
giving. But I think if you just given's
really good, even if you Google my name, Elizabeth Gatherer, it
will come up so that their algorithms seem to seem to work
really nicely. So yeah.
And aside from the fundraising of the money and the awareness,
what impact do you hope that the run does have overall?
So, yeah, so, so overall I think for me awareness is probably #1
and and then, and then the, the whatever funds I, I can raise
is, is, is just fantastic. And I just want to the people
that I've run with that day, I hope that we can create some
really great, great lasting memories together.
And I will tell you a little secret.
This is a 2 stage project that is, this is the testing the
waters one because this is a route that's already been done.
It's already had some media attention.
So I felt like I'd got like a little bit of a head start with
this one. But next year I want to do
something else. And it will be similar but
totally different. And it will be for Women's
Health. And I think that we've had
discussions so far about it and it's I'm really, really excited
for it. But I also can't quite imagine
what shape the, what shape the root's going to be.
And I know, I know what I want to, I know what I want to
achieve, but I don't know how to do it.
So I'm hoping that I can learn this year everything that this
run, this campaign teaches me. I I really want to put put into
action next year for, for another one for women.
So yeah. Well, hopefully this brings the
attention and if you move on to your next challenge for next
year, other people might get involved, charities or whatever
it is, whatever you need to do, hopefully that it happens.
We are fully supportive of it. Raising awareness for anything
that, especially things like subjects that people find it
hard to talk about that matter so much that as that it almost
annoys me that it is hard to talk about it but.
As life, I guess. But isn't it funny how when you
run an ultra, you could run with someone for a few miles that
you've never met before and before you know it, the pair of
you totally empty your your souls and hearts out to each
other. You have all these incredible
conversations. It's so easy to do that on the
trails, but for whatever reason that's quite difficult to then.
But you know, when it's in a real life situation, we all find
these things really difficult to talk about and it shouldn't be.
But part of the psychology behind that is not seeing
somebody's face while you're talking to them.
Yeah, yeah, that's true. You're running next to them,
aren't you? And I guess a prostate test is
you're not seeing their face while they're doing that test.
But anyway, we are tight on time.
Hopefully you're not tight on your time for your run because
everybody's going to come and join you.
So for tonight's episode, it's goodbye from me.
Thank you, Lizzie for coming on. Thank you Nikki for being Nikki,
and goodbye. Thanks, Lizzie.