Sean McGuire: Winners aren’t always first

Apr 17 2008 by Sean McGuire, Liverpool Daily Post

THE London Marathon has never really been about the first person to cross the line.

That ethos has been in place since the first race in 1981 when race leaders Dick Beardsley and Inge Simonsen eschewed personal glory to finish hand-in-hand in a time of 2:11:48.

Since then many thousands of people have ran, jogged, walked and travelled the 26 mile course, and each will have their own story of commitment and sacrifice.

Last Sunday was no exception, but there was one entrant – runner 35223 – that I would like to tell you about.

In his pomp Steve Prescott was a fine rugby league player, for St Helens, Wakefield and Hull and representing Great Britain.

But in 2006, at the age of just 32, he was diagnosed with pseudomyxoma peritonei, a rare form of stomach cancer.

Since then he has embarked on a series of challenges to raise money for Christie’s Hospital, where he is receiving treatment, and the Rugby League Benevolent Fund.

On Sunday he was joined by former Great Britain players Chris Joynt, Dave Lyon, Terry O'Connor on the gruelling course.

Steve finished in an impressive time of 4:32:19 – about the same time some of us spent on the couch, from Liverpool kicking-off against Blackburn to the end of Manchester United- Arsenal.

That 20,007 people finished in front of him is irrelevant.

It was an inspirational effort that is a reminder that you don’t have to be first across the line to be a winner.