Suffolk stroke survivor to run Tokyo Marathon after learning to walk again
This challenge is a decade in the making and is raising money for the Stroke Association.
A Suffolk man who had to relearn how to walk after suffering a stroke is preparing to run the Tokyo Marathon in just two weeks (Sunday, March 1, 2026), completing a personal challenge more than a decade in the making.
Tokyo Marathon participant Rob Wise, an environment adviser for the National Farmers' Union covering East Anglia, is set to take on the race next month, three years after an acute blood clot stroke affected his balance and left side.
From bedridden to running
Mr Wise, 64, who lives in Cavendish between Sudbury and Haverhill, had been just six weeks away from running the marathon in 2023 when he became seriously ill.
“Lying in the intensive care unit bed, I had no idea what the permanent damage might be,” he said.
“Within a couple of weeks, I was able to get out of bed and start the process of learning to walk again, which then happened remarkably quickly.
“Writing was much harder with the brain taking longer to figure out the fine motor skills required.
“The NHS physiotherapists were great at giving me exercises to do, and the more I repeated them, the better I got at everything.
“My sense of balance still lets me down from time to time and I need a couple of hours extra sleep every night even now to keep my energy up with all that extra brain processing that’s going on.”
Mr Wise first took up running in his early 50s to improve his health, despite previously disliking the sport.
“Well, when I turned 50, I looked at myself in the mirror and decided I'm not getting any thinner,” he said.
“So I decided I had to do something. So I thought, I'll try running.
“I'd always hated running, but I hadn't done it for a long time. So I took it up and actually found that it was amazing, not just for my physical health, but for my mental health as well, just getting out there on the footpaths around Suffolk and letting my mind wander and letting my body do its thing.”
He has since completed 11 marathons, including the London Marathon last year, his first since the stroke.
The Stroke Association
He says Tokyo will mark a major milestone, finishing his journey through the six World Marathon Majors, which he began in 2015 in New York.
“Having lost my ballot place after the stroke, I was really keen to get my place back as Tokyo will complete my six-star World Marathon Majors journey,” he said.
“This is the first time the Stroke Association has had places in Tokyo, so I was destined to grab one, whatever the fundraising commitment.”
Mr Wise is raising money for the Stroke Association, which he said provided vital support during his recovery.
“I’m so grateful that I was not left with more damage and know that I am very lucky,” he said.
“The Stroke Association was extremely useful and a reassuring resource for me during my recovery, and I know they do incredible work for those less lucky than me, helping rebuild lives of both stroke survivors and their families.”
To secure his place, he committed to raising at least £3,500 for the charity.
Despite his progress, he said long-distance running has become significantly harder.
“It’s going to be an amazing feeling of accomplishment, mostly because post-stroke, running those kinds of distances has got a lot harder for me,” he said.
“Although, you know, to look at me, walk around town, possibly even do a bit of dad dancing, you might not even know that I'd had a stroke.
“But my left side is not as strong as it used to be.”
He added that Tokyo’s strict time limits have created additional pressure.
“Getting across the finish line in the allowed time is giving me some sleepless nights but I’m pretty confident I can do it,” he said.
“I’ve included extra strength training on my left side in my preparations to give me the best chance.”
Raising awareness
Mr Wise also hopes greater awareness can be raised about the long-term effects of stroke, many of which are not immediately visible.
“Although I look normal and act normal, my brain is still doing a lot of relearning all the time,” he said.
“I need a lot more rest time, and I need a lot more sleep time… By Thursday night, I am exhausted, and I really need that extra time to recover and be ready to go again.
“What I hear a lot of stroke survivors say is that people don't recognise post-stroke that there's still a lot that people have to deal with.”
He added that support services and counselling can play an important role in helping survivors adjust.
Some people, he said, “get fed up trying to talk to their family and friends about what they're still dealing with and find it useful to be able to talk to a stroke counsellor or a support group and work those things through”.
Looking ahead to race day, he said crossing the finish line would bring relief as well as pride.
“I will breathe a very big sigh of relief,” he said.