Fed member’s Marathon mission inspired by recovery from serious neck injury

22 April 2026

A Suffolk police officer who broke his neck in a cycling accident 18 months ago is taking on the London Marathon this weekend.

Acting Sergeant Adam Fish returned to work just five months after fracturing his C6 vertebrae when he came off his bike during at the Belvoir Castle triathlon on 1 September 2024.

Adam said: “My fancy bike was mangled and my new helmet smashed to pieces, which most likely saved my life.

“I was taken by ambulance to Nottingham Queens Hospital, where I was given the terrifying news that I had broken my C6 vertebrae near the base of my neck.

 

 

“I stayed in hospital for several days on morphine and ketamine, to ease the pain that went from hand to hand and all the way up my spine to the back of my head.

“I had an operation to fuse my C6 and C7 vertebrae. They installed a cage secured with titanium screws to replace the disc and hold the vertebrae secure. This would prevent damage to my spinal cord and stabilise my neck.

“When I woke up, the pain that ran up my arms and back had gone. I still had the neck pain, and I realised how close I came to irreparable damage.

“I was initially unable to turn my neck independently to my body; recovering was always going to be hard.

Discomfort

“I still live with pain and discomfort every day. I will never recover to pre-injury strength or mobility, but it could have been so much worse, and I am forever grateful for that.”

Remarkably, Adam returned to full operational policing within five months and is currently back working response duties.

He has also been training for this Sunday's London Marathon, which he describes as 'iconic'.

Adam said the support of his ‘amazing family and friends’, the Park Run community, West Suffolk Wheelers cycle club and Streets Ahead swim coaching, as well as months of physio and strength building, has got him to the position to take part.

Running has not come naturally to Adam, who admits he was previously a keen cyclist and swimmer.

“I don’t really like running that much if I’m honest,” he said., adding: “Part of this was proving to myself that I’m not broken, that I can still do things and get my fitness back on track.

Aspire

“The hardest part is just looking to cross the road because my neck movement is limited.”

He will be running in aid of Aspire, a UK charity that supports people with spinal injuries.

“I’ve been very fortunate with my recovery, but many people aren’t as lucky,” he said.

“Aspire helps people rebuild independence after spinal injury, and that really meant something to me.”

Although he describes himself as ‘not massively social or a social media person’, he has already raised almost £1,200 of his £2,000 target.

“I sort of keep myself to myself, so trying to drum up funds has not been the easiest for me,” he said. “But any kind of support is gratefully received.”

Nervous

Adam admitted that he was nervous about the size and scale of the event.

“I want to get it done now. I’m not a big one for crowded places. I don’t even like London, if I’m honest, I prefer the countryside, so I’ve done a good job here,” he joked.

“I’m hoping for around five hours, but I just want to get round.

“I came back from a spinal injury to being fully operational in five months so I will get round, one way or another.”

Adam has set up a JustGiving page for people to support him.

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