Running to stand still?

The media seems to have a fickle eye.

Always focused closely on the current and the topical and rarely on the historic and the fair.

Remember the olympic games in Athens? Remember ‘brave’ Paula Radcliffe and how she fell by the wayside in tears during the marathon event?

It’s hard to be critical of Paula, and rightly so. But she gets paid an enormous amount of money to run in various events up and down the world. In most cases, she isn’t even required to complete the course. She’s awarded an appearance fee.

So she simply has to arrive and give it a go.

There’s no doubting the effort, the years of training and sacrifice that Paula has had to endure to get to the top of her profession, but lets choose instead to look at things in a broader, less media-oriented way and see the bigger picture.

Enter the amazing Jane Tomlinson:

“Since being told she was suffering from incurable cancer in 2000, Jane Tomlinson has inspired a Nation, by running in a phenomenal variety of races, including the London Marathon, London Triathlon, Great North Run, Gatorade 1/2 Ironman Triathlon and cycling on a tandem bike from Land’s End to John O’Groats and Rome to Leeds.

In September 2004 she took part in the Nice 3/4 Ironman, completing the bike and swim, but unfortunately was timed out and was therefore not allowed to take part in the run.

Unfazed, she travelled to Panama City Beach in Florida in November 2004, where she successfully completed a full Ironman in 15 hours, 48 minutes.

Her fundraising efforts through Jane’s Appeal have now passed the £1 million mark following these magnificent efforts, and those of her supporters.”

Now, I don’t think much needs to be said about pure drive and determination. Few humans have ever endured such Herculean tasks, most of them being at the peak of health and certainly more physical wherewithal.

What makes me even more proud is that Jane is from Yorskshire, my home county in England, which in itself offers some explanation of her grit and desire, such is the stuff us folks are made of.

But does Jane get a mention in the news? Rarely.

This really is a terrible shame. If several middle-aged woman making a semi-nude calendar -- again, from Yorkshire -- is worthy of a movie, then so is the life and times of Jane Tomlinson.

Unfortunately for Jane, her family, husband and children, she has fewer days ahead of her than she has put behind her, but she is more fortunate than many more who have lived a longer life with far fewer memories.

I’m sure that Jane will take with her an amazing life, one that has touched many others. And with the money that she has raised, she will continue to touch the lives of others for the better for a long time to come.

Let us hope the we are all able to see with newer eyes what can be achieved when need becomes must...