Article from the Press Association.
www.sportinglife.com/rugbyleague ... olumn.html
Former St Helens and Hull full-back Steve Prescott must be one of the most inspirational figures in the history of rugby league.
But although the former England and Ireland international tackled hard and scored tries aplenty before his career was cut short by injury in 2003, it is not for deeds on the field that the 35-year-old continues to amaze.
Prescott has been battling a rare form of stomach cancer since 2006 and, after initially being given just six months to live, has fought with all the courage he showed on the pitch and more.
Yet Prescott is not only concerned about his own health and is currently preparing to embark on a monumental triathlon challenge to raise money for charities to help others.
Cycling more than 800 miles from Perpignan to Windsor Castle, paddling 24 miles down the Thames in a dragon boat and then running a half marathon in London would test the fittest of athletes, but Prescott is not letting that put him off.
Prescott sets off from the south of France this weekend along with a team of ex-players and businessmen in the hope of raising £100,000 and reaching Wembley in time for the Challenge Cup final on August 29.
"A lot of people have said good luck and I think I'm going to need it," Prescott said. "I feel a little under-prepared but I'm sure the character of the lads, and what we are doing it for, will pull us through.
"I'm sure most of them are ready, they've done a lot of training in the last six months, but it's been quite difficult for myself.
"I was having treatment until the end of April, chemotherapy, so getting over that and getting my body physically fit again after having it broken down - it took a while to get motivated and get into the swing of things.
"But I am a lot better than I was and have been training quite hard, although I am still a bit nervous that I might be a bit underdone."
There will be little time for Prescott to ease himself in with the group hitting the mountains early into their 13-day route.
"I think the first few days will be very competitive," Prescott said. "I can see a lot of them racing each other but I'm sure after climbing a few mountains things will settle down.
"On the third day I think we've got an 18-mile climb, that will sort the men from the boys.
"The overall amount of climbing is double Everest, that's pretty frightening."
The original trek, conceived by Prescott's friend and former Warrington and Swinton player Paul Barrow, was even more challenging with plans to row across the English Channel.
They had to be scrapped due to difficulties obtaining permission from French authorities but have not been shelved for good.
Prescott said: "Paul does a lot of rowing in the gym and thought about rowing the Channel. The idea grew from there.
"It went from rowing the Channel to cycling the whole of France as well and then adding a run in.
"We're disappointed we're not allowed to row the Channel but it might have done us a favour. I think we will probably need to train for a full year for that so maybe we should wait."
Paul Sculthorpe, Chris Joynt, Anthony Sullivan, Steve Hampson, Gary Connolly, Chris Smith, Steve Hall and Lee Jackson are among the former rugby league players joining Prescott in his challenge. Another 10 people have also joined the team for the adventure, all paying their own expenses.
Money is being raised through the Steve Prescott Foundation and proceeds will be split between Christie's Cancer Hospital in Manchester and Try Assist, formerly the Rugby League Benevolent Fund.
"When you can see the difference it makes you think it is all worthwhile," said Prescott, who has also run the London Marathon, organised a boxing event and completed two sponsored walks in his fund-raising attempts.
It is something Prescott hopes to be able to continue with, providing his condition remains stable.
"We will have re-evaluate each year what I can do," he said. "I'm going to keep doing challenges and keep going for as long as I can.
"I'm just living by scans, it is not worth thinking beyond that.
"They have told me it is a terminal disease I'll never get rid of.
"It is a matter of living for today and for each three-six month scan. I can't look too far ahead."
