Wendy Munro:

I am 54 now and developed bowel cancer in 2008. Whilst investigating the extent of that cancer the hospital discovered a pancreatic tumour as well. I was so lucky that I had the bowel cancer at the right time for them to find the pancreas problem before it got to the stage where they couldn't treat it. I had a couple of operations and 9 months chemo and my wonderful husband looked after me throughout it all. Unfortunately I ate everything in sight and turned into a huge blob on the sofa. At my heaviest I weighed in at about 19st. Because of the pancreatic surgery (they took a large portion of it away) I was left as an insulin dependent diabetic but that seems a very small price to pay for my life!

Eventually I got very cross with myself and started dieting. When I felt I was at a weight where I could bear to be seen I joined a gym and in January 2011 I climbed on a Concept 2 for the first time. On June 24th 2011 I rowed a marathon to raise funds for Bowel Cancer UK and was delighted to raise £794 with my gym offering great support J. By then I'd got an erg of my own at home, and eventually I left the gym to train at home - I mean, how long can one woman hog an erg in a gym - answer, not long enough for me.

Of course, I was left with - what comes next? And since I am no speed merchant (by a long shot) what came next was the decision to go for the 100km ultramarathon and on October 22nd we brought my erg down to the sitting room and I rowed my 100,000m. It involved some complex working out of insulin/glucose balances and several blood tests as I went and I am grateful to my endocrinologist for her advice because without it I don't think I could have got the balances right. I am hugely grateful to Sir Steve Redgrave whose achievements convinced me that diabetics can do anything at all. And to James Cracknell because I have had epilepsy since I was a child and his example of courage and determination has been tremendous for those with brain injury/conditions of any sort. The Free Spirits offered advice and support throughout and were a great help to me!

The row itself was exhausting after about 75km - but I knew I could make it. I had a nosebleed from 40km through to about 60km and rowed with tissues stuffed up my nose which was a bit disconcerting but I really didn't want to give up! By the end the tendonitis in my fingers was very painful (diabetics are very prone to trigger finger - I don't know why, but we are) but my fingers were wrapped around the handle and I knew I wouldn't let go.

The best bit - I discovered that low-fat chocolate milkshake is as good as a protein shake as a recovery drink! (It's true - there's been research). And that feeling when I finished - the overwhelming sense that I'd achieved something I had set out to do, and had had to work for - nobody gave it to me; I earned it. Fantastic! Oh yeah - and I got to eat massive amounts of carbohydrates and for someone whose diet is normally carb restricted this was a wonderful treat.