Man told he'd never run again races in city half

A grandfather who was told he would never run again after having part of his lung removed is among the runners in Sunday's Cardiff Half Marathon.

Phil Powell, 71, from Ross-on-Wye in Herefordshire, was diagnosed with lung cancer six years ago – and since then he has completed 14 half marathons and 10k races.

“My consultant is also a runner and encourages me to keep going for as long as I can,” said the retired dental surgeon, who also has two inoperable tumours on his right lung.

A record number of people signed up for Sunday's race, according to organisers.

Mr Powell had a third of his left lung removed in 2018 after being diagnosed with MALT lymphoma, and was told only 5% of people survive 12 months after the operation.

“I was completely devastated and so shocked, as I’d never smoked,” he said, adding that he and his wife “started to put plans in place for whatever was coming for me”.

“But I’m still here and I enjoy running so I’m not going to let that stop me,” he said.

Mr Powell said that running could be painful at times, but he started slowly and gradually by doing a quarter of a mile each week before extending his runs from there.

“The strange thing is, when I run I don’t cough and when I’m relaxed, I cough more. My consultant is also a runner and encourages me to keep going for as long as I can,” he said.

He is running the Cardiff Half as part of the 100 Club, an initiative by organisers Run 4 Wales that grants 100 free spaces into the race to help improve the health and wellbeing of participants.

The father-of-two and grandfather-of-three now wants to encourage others to look after their health.

“My message to others is don’t give in. Try and achieve your full potential and don’t let any illness or cancer get the better of you. Staying fit can really help you face whatever it is you have going on,” he said.

He said that he would keep running for as long as he could.

“I enjoy running by the Wye and I quite often take a moment to look at the sky and think to myself, 'I’ve survived another day when they told me I wouldn’t'. I have so much gratitude to still be here,” he said.

Georgia Edwards, 29, is running to raise money for the British Heart Foundation after her husband, Rhys, had a suspected heart attack during a work trip to New York shortly after the pair got married in 2022.

She said the decision to give Rhys a pacemaker – which has now been removed – saved his life.

“It took Rhys about 18 months to feel normal again – and it’s only been in the last few months that he’s been able to go back to the gym,” she said, adding that the incident has also had “a huge mental impact on him”.

“He feels as if he’s cheated death. He had imposter syndrome and [felt] that he’s living on borrowed time,” she said.

Ms Edwards said she could not run 1,000 metres in March, but that she has been training hard for today’s event.

She added: “What happened is still really raw and will stay with us forever. That’s why we’re sharing in case it can help someone else.”