‘MUDDY or not, here we come’, Kerry Wilcox of Ashwater has completed her first Plymouth Pretty Muddy 5k Race and is already looking ahead to 2020 — but says she will be bringing a wetsuit next year!

As was previously reported Kerry, an appendix cancer survivor, is a Cancer Research UK Race for Life aficionado but decided this year to give something a bit different a go.

Kerry dedicated this race to her father, former deputy mayor of Holsworthy Colin Punter, who sadly passed away earlier this year after a short battle with lung cancer.

Kerry said she was proud of her achievement having completed the race but on the day found some moments tougher than others: “The hardest part of the day for me was arriving without my dad. Then trying to believe in myself that I could do it! A few tears later and a hug from my wonderful husband, George Wilcox, I thought this is something dad would have wanted me to do. It was an emotional day and to be honest I forgot about me being in remission. 

“Every so often I would feel my back to make sure that my sign of why I was doing it was still there with a picture of dad.”

Conditions proved challenging as Kerry, supported by her friend Dani Parkinson, leapt through mud, crawled through mud and skidded through, that’s right, mud — all in the name of charity. There were obstacles to conquer, more than 1,500 competitors to dodge and emotions to battle but all in all Kerry said the day was incredible: “It was so wet, dirty and a lot muddier than I realised. But I loved every second of the day, despite the heavy rain and wind!”

She added: “This year I completed the 2019 Race for Life with Dani Parkinson, which was great fun. Whether this was piggy back, diving in mud, going through large pieces of water or climbing obstacles, the list goes on.”

Despite the seemingly endless supply of mud, Kerry has not been deterred and has her sights set on next year’s event: “Next year, I will be doing this again and I have already have at least another three ‘victims’ who will be with me!”

She added: “The most important thing, despite my tears in the morning, was not letting anyone down and just going for it.

“Roll on next year...wetsuit at the ready!”

So far Kerry has far exceeded her initial target of raising £200 for Cancer Research UK and is over the moon with the response she has received: “I am so lucky to have amazing friends and family. I wanted to raise £200, and it currently is at £855 which is absolutely incredible. My page will stay open, so it is never too late to sponsor me!”

To support Kerry’s fundraising and to donate visit fundraise.cancerresearchuk.org/page/kerrys-race-for-life-3344