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Boxing champ Mike Strange continues Terry Fox’s Marathon Of Hope
Mike Strange has a lot of company on his journey.
As the former boxing champion endeavours to complete continue Terry Fox's Marathon Of Hope, not all of that company is the physical kind. Much of it is of a spiritual nature.
Yes, Strange's cancer awareness and fundraising trek is fortified by his team - the friends who are with him every step of the way providing him with the necessary tangible support needed to continue - but much more than that is present. Strange's own boxing background provides him with the cache of solitary determination to drive forward, the way he might have when faced with a withering barrage of punches in the ring.
Much of that determination is fed by something else.
Talk to the native of Niagara Falls, Ontario about the daily grind of what he calls "Box Run," (running 40 kilometres a day en route from Thunder Bay, Ontario, to British Columbia's Pacific Coast) and you get the very strong sense that thoughts of Fox and of the many others who have been devastated by cancer, fuel his resolve to keep up the pace.
"When I'm struggling I start to think about Terry and how did he do it? How did he do this? On one leg. For as far as he did. He sacrificed his life for that run. He's the biggest hero in Canadian history. Every city should have a street named after Terry Fox."
Others have retraced Fox's steps, beginning with his first few in St. John's, Newfoundland. Strange considered the same route, but then came to the conclusion that he'd be treading on hallowed ground.
"I thought I'd run, instead, where he didn't run, in respect of him, because his footsteps are sacred."
And so, the Box Run began, on April 12th, just west of the spot where Fox's marathon ended, in September of 1980.
On this day I catch up with Strange, over the phone, from Winnipeg. He's got a little time before he heads to a civic reception, then it's back out to the spot where he'd left off the day before, a few kilometres east of Portage la Prairie, Manitoba. Day 20 of his marathon was in the books.
"At the end of every day we put the Canadian flag at the side of the highway where we stopped. And we'll put, say 'Box Run Day 20' along with an inspirational word. Yesterday's word was 'team."
The three-time Canadian Olympian and two-time Commonwealth Games Gold Medallist (light weight - 1994, light welterweight - 1998), Strange places a high value on teamwork. Sadly, some members of the team are no longer with him, having succumbed to the ravages of cancer. They are still very much a part of the collective that inspires him, occupying his thoughts with every step he takes.
There is 12 year old Kelsey Hill, of Stevensville, Ontario. She and Strange became very good friends before a brain tumor took her life. It was her passing that was a catalyst in spurring Strange to action with this run.
"A special little girl. So nice. We really got close and spoke on Facebook a lot. I pushed her in her wheelchair in the Terry Fox Run. When she passed away, I was just devastated. I started to think 'what can we do do change things?' Especially with cancer. It touches so many people."
The memory of young Kelsey accompanies Strange. As does the memory of a mentor and friend, Bob Lavelle, who's life was cut tragically short by pancreatic cancer.
"He did a lot for me and he did a lot for charities in the Niagara Region. I wanted to do something special for him to kind of carry on his legacy."
There are some people that Strange has never even met, but still they enter his thoughts as he pounds the pavement westward. That's thanks to a page on his BoxRun.ca website, titled "What's Your Fight." On that page, visitors are invited to share their stories of cancer. Of triumph and tragedy. Of inspiration. Those stories give Strange a boost in determination.
"People write in about their struggle with cancer, or if they have a loved one who's going through chemo or been lost to cancer. I'll go on the site and read and I'll start crying and breaking down. Then, I go out and I start running again."
Strange runs with these companions and sometimes only these companions. Other times, he gets real help in keeping the pace up. He mentions that "day 20" was a particular grind for him, so members of his support team each ran 5 kilometres with him. That included a gentleman who ran in penny loafers, because he didn't have running shoes with him.
As well, there's young Matthew (Matteo) Mancini, 11 years old. When doctors detected cancer in his leg, the decision was made to amputate below the knee. Matthew's decision to meet the challenge in a positive fashion provides Strange with even more lift.
"Imagine, 11 years old, he can do whatever he wants and then, has his leg amputated. But he wants to help other kids and help the cause. He comes out on weekends, in certain spots. Because he's going through treatments and physiotherapy during the week. He came out to Winnipeg and walked a kilometre with me, which was awesome."
As he heads west, Strange looks forward to the relative flatness of the Canadian prairie. A little easier on the body, it should be, until he gets into the Foothills of Alberta. He notes that a brisk prevailing wind may pose its own set of challenges.
High winds, mountain trails, sore feet and aching quads; whatever the challenges ahead, Mike Strange will have inspirational company with him. Including that of the man who's marathon he aims to complete. continue.
