Flying Fox tackles 100k for World Prematurity Day
The Newry man 'giving something back'
Last updated 21st Nov 2021
“In my eyes, I’m doing the easy bit. I’ll torture myself for 10 hours if it means these people are getting some help.”
Those are the words of Newry man Michael Fox.
At 6am this morning, he set off from St Joseph's Boys High School Colman’s College in the centre of the city to run a 5k loop…20 times.
The well-known athlete is putting himself through that ‘torture’ in order to raise money for the Special Care Baby Units and both Craigavon Area and Daisy Hill Hospitals.
Wife Michelle gave birth to twin boys Freddy and Finnley at 32 weeks – five weeks prematurely.
In the middle of the Covid-19 pandemic, it proved to be a tough time for Michael, Michelle and daughter Darcy. That was only compounded by the fact Michelle was Covid-positive at the time.
“The two hospitals looked after us massively. They were a huge help and, in the hardest time of our life, it meant so much,” says Michael.
“I just wanted to give something back as best I can.
“I hope that anyone reading this doesn’t end up in our position. With our case, it was lot more difficult because my wife was Covid-positive.
“The staff were so understanding, so good and so helpful.
“Their work in general - amazing is an understatement. It’s not a good enough word to describe those people and the work they do. If you do end up there, from first-hand experience, you’ll be in the best place possible.”
An experienced marathon and long-distance runner, Michael has raced for Ireland and is no stranger to big mileage. He’s even done the 100k distance earlier this year around the Mondello Park race track.
However, this time he’s much closer to home and has encouraged people to join him for whatever distance they feel like running.
“It affected us massively. You’ve gone through the most emotional thing in the world”
“I’ve done one 100k before and I promised myself afterwards that I would never do another one!” he joked.
“I wanted to do something extremely hard. I didn’t want to say I was doing a marathon. For most people, a marathon is a huge achievement. For me, I do marathons throughout the year and enjoy them. I wanted to do something that isn’t going to be enjoyable and isn’t going to be easy.
“Outside my family, running is everything to me. I’ve been running since I was 12 years old and it’s been my outlet.”
Michael admits the shock of the situation he and his family found themselves in proved difficult to handle at time.
“It affected us massively. You’ve gone through the most emotional thing in the world,” he says.
“Having one kid is massive, two is massive and then we had the whole situation with my wife having Covid. We weren’t allowed to see our kids for six days and we weren’t allowed to see each other for six days.
“When we all got to see each other, it was just brilliant.
“Then it was a matter of just trying to get the kids healthy and safe. We didn’t know what day of the week it was or what time of day it was. It was just up and down to hospitals, while trying to keep our child at home in some kind of normal life.
“It was crazy.”
Some would say that running 100 kilometres in one go is also somewhat ‘crazy’, but as Michael says – he’ll put himself through it if it means he can give something back to those who helped him and his family.
If you wish to sponsor Michael, click on the link below
https://www.justgiving.com/crowdfunding/michael-fox-100km-run?utm_term=XY5az4vdy