7:17 am, April 13, 2024
A Bowker Group manager is to run his first marathon this weekend 11 years after a horrific snowmobile accident saw him nearly lose a leg.
In February 2013, group implementation manager Richard Cowell suffered serious injuries, including a six-inch bone-deep gash to his left leg, after losing control of a snowmobile and hitting a tree at some 50mph.
The accident happened during a BMW-sponsored trip to Vancouver and left him with injuries that posed a significant threat to his mobility.
Yet despite doctors advising a 12-week recovery period, Cowell returned to work after just four weeks
Tomorrow (Apr 14), he will compete in the Manchester Marathon – the UK’s second-largest marathon.
He hopes to raise funds for Kieran’s Angels, a charity group formed for his friend Kieran Keigher and which supports cancer research in the UK.
‘The accident happened a long time ago now and I’ve fully recovered,’ said Cowell, who lives in Rawtenstall, Lancashire.
‘But if you’d asked me 10 years ago about running a marathon, I’d have thought you were mad, yet here I am. I’ve been training hard and am optimistic I can finish the race.’
Richard Cowell’s leg after receiving stitches
He added: ‘More importantly than the personal challenge, I want to raise as much money as possible for an important cause.
‘I received great medical care when I needed it and I’m very grateful for that, so if taking on the marathon challenge helps others – even in a small way – it’s a simple way I can show my gratitude.’
Anyone wanting to sponsor him can do so via his fundraising page at Richard Cowell Marathon Challenge.
