She also paid tribute to London, in the aftermath of the 7/7 tube bombings. “I’m so happy I’m here, in person, to give love back to London because London has given me so much,” Nicole said. “It is great to be standing here with you strong.”
Cynthia Erivo’s marathon story during her 2022 ‘Gamechanging Performer’ award acceptance speech
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An incredible reminder to just keep going – the Wicked star told an amazing anecdote about how her time running the London marathon taught her to never give up, and how the women in her life supported her.
“I wanna start by saying I’m incredibly moved by this award,” she said.
“I ran the London marathon a month ago – in case anybody doesn’t know, that’s 26.2 miles – I know you’re thinking, why on earth would anyone do that? Well, every marathon runner knows that at some point in the 26.2 miles, you will reach an invisible wall of excruciating pain. Again, why would you do that? Hear me out…
“I hit the wall at mile 21. It felt like someone had thrown a brick at my head and, as my head was ricocheting forward, someone ranked the scruff of my neck back. All the while, I kept thinking, ‘Just keep looking forward’.
“I hear a voice yelling ‘CYNTHIA!’ – it was my younger sister holding up a sign that said, ‘Go sis, go!’ And then she yelled – like the best coach you could wish for – ‘Keep going, keep running!’”
“I love the work I do, it fills me with joy, and it’s sometimes a channel for my pain […] But eventually, you hit a wall. You hit mile 21. It takes someone willing to meet you at mile 21 to tell you to keep going, keep running, to feel seen and supported.”