Keara Cupidon

My May 50k: 100 kms, a german shepherd & the hot mess express

Last year was my first May 50K. I’d just been diagnosed and honestly I really didn’t know what MS was. That kicked off a pretty steep learning curve for me and everyone around me. One thing I’ve learnt quickly is that chronic illness doesn’t always look the way people expect, especially when you ‘look fine’.

I definitely pushed myself too hard at the start. I wanted to prove I could still do everything I used to, instead of stepping back when I’d clearly hit my limit. I threw myself into work to keep busy and feel normal, and then I was made redundant, which really pulled the rug out from under me. My normal disappeared overnight, and I was left thinking, if I’m not working, what am I actually doing?

It’s taken me a while to realise my identity isn’t tied to my job, and that slowing down doesn’t mean I’ve failed. It just means I’m doing things differently now. Making ends meet hasn’t been easy, but we’re figuring it out one step at a time.

So this year’s May 50K feels a bit different. Less about pushing through and more about showing up. Moving when I can, resting when I need to, and not giving myself a hard time about it.

My sister Amelia and I have teamed up as The Hot Mess Express, twinning it for MS, which feels very us. We’re aiming for 100km each and raising $500 for MS research, with plenty of laughs along the way. You can follow our team antics here: https://www.themay50k.org/fundraisers/hotmessexpress

I’ve also recently welcomed Ace, our German Shepherd puppy, to the family. When he’s older, he’ll be trained as my service dog, helping me keep my independence and giving the family a bit of reassurance that I’ve got backup when I need it. For now though, he’s full-time chaos coordinator, professional heart-stealer, and part-time cow whisperer. You can follow his crazy puppy insta posts here: https://www.instagram.com/ace_of_hearts_gsd?igsh=anMzczhvazlybHdk&utm_source=qr