Keep Your Own Score
In the context of Banksy's “There is Always Hope” artwork, the phrase takes on a more specific meaning, referring to the idea, that even in difficult or challenging times, we should hold onto the belief that things can always get better.
On Saturday 21st October 2023, I crossed the finish line at the Ironman 70.3m race, after 7 hours and 7 minutes of swim, bike and run, along with over 3500 athletes.
This was my ninth Ironman finish, and 10th Ironman race, having got injured 100 mile into my cycle at Ironman Cork in 2019, having to drop out.
Cascais 2023 for me was my most enjoyable Ironman to date.
Pretty much everything went right for me on the day. My swim was sensational, 42 minutes in the sea swimming 1.2miles. The bike was tough, 56 miles of cycling through the mountains to the left hand side of Lisbon, and then back to Cascais.
The run was a dog of a race for me, but I expected that, as I haven’t been able to run much in training, due to arthritis in my right ankle. 4 miles was the longest I could muster up in training, so 13.2miles on race day, well I wasn’t sure how I was going to go.
The goal for me was to take it easy throughout the entire race, to include transition, and mentally I was only focused on one thing - finishing the race.
On reflection things couldn’t have went any better and I am delighted that I made the decision 8 weeks previous to enter the race. A brilliant way to finish 2023.
Earlier this week I put up a post on my social media platforms to share the amazing news I got regarding a recent MRI scan.
Over the last 15 years, I have made sure that I get annual MRI scans of my brain, as it is unnegotiable for me to “keep the score”.
What I mean by this is quite simple.
Over the course of the past 17 years, trying to figure out how I can optimise my health, I figured out that nobody was going to save me, nobody was going to fix me, I had to do this myself. So I keep my own score.
I am at the point in my life now where I rarely see or speak to my GP. I continue to invest in my health everyday, working on a plan to make my body stronger.
Anyway back to my news - In simple form, my neurologist advised that there are NO new lesions in my brain or spinal cord and no disease activity. It’s been like this for the last few years.
“Just keep doing what you are doing Conor”
To give this news some context, from the summer of 2006 to 2011, that block of 5 years was horrendous for me. My mental and physical health was very poor, and I was really struggling to see a way forward. I had lost HOPE.
Things started to change around 2012, and over the last 11 years, I have been on this incredible journey of healing and recovery.
The Ironman and endurance achievements are really a return on my investment on myself.
They are confirmation and validation of the decisions I have made, particularly when I decided to go off medication in 2016, against the advice of everyone.
Why am I telling you this?
The reason is very simple.
I have people coming across my story from all around the world.
This week alone I’ve had people from Canada, the US, Dubai, Australia, and of course much closer to home.
All of these people have been looking to find something, someone who can give them a little HOPE in life 💫
I am wholly grateful and feel very privileged that my own story of healing can help some people with this.
In life we all need HOPE, if we don’t have HOPE, what is the point?
As we approach Christmas this year, my wish is that I can help a few more people believe that “nothing is permanent, and that there is always HOPE”.
Feel free to share this blog with anyone you think might get value from it.
Keep the faith all, and thanks for the continued support and encouragement 💫
CD ☘️
