Ultramarathoner with cancer celebrates sport and Change Islands with Squidathalon

For David McConkey, the Change Islands Squidathalon he helped found combines two things that are essential to his health: running and the islands themselves.

McConkey has multiple myeloma, a rare type of cancer that causes plasma cells to accumulate in bone marrow. He's also an ultramarathon runner and he's been running through his diagnosis and his treatment.

"I don't run as far or as fast, but I'm still moving forward," he said, laughing.

Three years ago he and a group of three people — who were inspired by an 80-kilometre run he did from Change Islands to the tip of Fogo Island and back, with a bit of help from a ferry ride — launched the very first Change Islands Squidathalon. The informal event invited people to participate in eight sporting events over eight days, including a relay run of McConkey's inspiring 80-kilometre route.

This year, the third annual Squidathalon features nearly 20 events over four days, beginning Thursday.

"I guess it's kind of like the tentacles of a squid because it just keeps reaching out and connecting with more people," he said.

'I didn't know if I would ever run again'

When McConkey learned he had cancer in 2010, he made a swift decision.

"I made it quite clear that if I wasn't working, I wanted to be in Newfoundland," he said.

Toronto was his home base at the time, but he had owned a house on Change Islands for years — his "healing place," he said.

He also vowed to work as hard as he could to at least keep walking, and to do it without pain.

"I didn't know if I would ever run again. Every day that I do run is a bonus and a gift that I didn't think that I would be doing."

'I don't lose sleep over it'

Incredibly, he's been running the trails on Change Islands throughout most of his treatment, including a stem cell transplant. His doctors, he said, are supportive.

"Though they don't see me running on the trails — they might cringe a little if they did."

Typically, multiple myeloma patients are given three years to live. McConkey says he's beating the odds, and focusing on living a full life.

"I don't lose sleep over it," he said.

"I tell people I am a very resilient person, and it just so happens my cancer cells are as well."

Reviving traditional Change Islands sports

He's looking forward to the 11-kilometre run/walk on the Squid Jiggers Trail, which opens this year's Squidathalon, but there are a few other events that are particularly close to his heart.

On Saturday, the Squidathalon is reviving a traditional sport from the area that he calls Change Islands ball. It's like a mix of baseball and cricket, he said, using two bases rather than three and requiring players to tag the pitcher's mound before they can run home.

He learned how to play at last year's Squidathalon, he said.

"Three people came together in the middle of a field and talked about how they played it when they were growing up, and the rest of us played the game with their rules."

There's also a game of piddly, known as tiddly in other parts of the province.

And the event coincides with the cleaning up of the oil leaking from the Manolis L, he points out, which makes it even more special.

"This is the place for me at this point in time," he said.

There is no registration fee for the Squidathalon. Instead, participants are encouraged to make a donation to the Change Islands Squid Jiggers Tourism Committee, which oversees all the trails in the area.

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