Milton Keynes Marathon race report: “Do not stop; do not give up!”
Earlier this spring, support worker Steve and friend of Kairos Matt were preparing to run the Brighton Marathon. When plans changed, they signed up for not one but two new races: the Crystal Palace Half Marathon on 6th April and the Milton Keynes Marathon on 5th May.
Below, Steve shares his race report from Milton Keynes and what it meant to cross the final finish line.
(This is an excerpt; you can read Steve’s piece in full and follow Steve and Matt’s journey to date on their GoFundMe page here.)
Exactly four years ago to the day, I was in a very different place. It was day one; the first day clean after a drinking spree that nearly ended my life. I was physically wrecked, emotionally broken, and buried so deep in darkness I couldn’t see a way out.
But today, my life has purpose. It has meaning. And more than anything else… it has me. And today, I ran a marathon!
A whole year of training. Over 1,400 kilometres of horribly early mornings, discipline and focus. And now I was standing at the start line, heart pounding, caught between excitement and dread. It was that strange intense feeling you only get when you’re about to do something that truly matters.
The race started. Headphones in. Eyes down. The first half felt strong and I was right on target. But by 25km, my pace slowed and things got tough. At 32km, I hit the wall. Hard. The muffled pain running through my body like an electric buzz, my mind in a constant battle between ‘it’s cool if you stop’ and ‘DO NOT STOP, DO NOT GIVE UP!’
Then something magical happened. I pulled out my headphones and heard it all. The cheering, the music, the people calling out, “Come on, Steve — you’ve got this!” (It was on my bib – I’m not famous.)
And suddenly, I felt it. I didn’t have to do this alone.
The same truth that’s carried me through the past four years hit me again. Togetherness matters. I’d been powering through with my music, in my own little bubble, but when I opened up to the love and encouragement all around me, something shifted. The final stretch became something more. It was shared; it felt achievable.
We both finished. Matt smashed his goal time, way beyond what he expected. I was proud of my own result but, more than that, I was filled with a deeper sense of clarity. I learned something that I’ll take into the next challenge…
…Which will be… well, let’s just say it’s going to be bigger.
Thank you to everyone for your donations, encouragement and support. We couldn’t have done it without you all.
If you’re up for a challenge (and the training, growth, and transformation that comes with it) please contact me. Let’s do something amazing. Together.
Steven Polatajko
- Read Steve’s full race report and follow his and Matt’s journey, or make a donation, on their GoFundMe page.