When I’m participating in an event alongside wheelchair athletes, I think about all the obstacles and challenges they have had to overcome to be able to participate; and I recognise, I don’t even know the half of it! Being involved with The BackUp charity has allowed me to meet some very inspirational people!
Melanie was a cyclist, and after a life-changing accident, she quickly set a goal…80 miles in 3 days with her newfound wheelchair skills!
Melanie’s Journey:
“As a PE teacher, fitness and sport have always been a huge part of me. From playing football every Saturday, venturing up hills with the dog to booking in to spin at 6am before work — it was big on my mind. In 2018, the ground was stripped from under my feet after being hit by a car whilst out cycling. I suffered several severe injuries, but the most life-changing was the damage to my spinal cord leaving me with paralysis from the waist down.
I had to wait patiently to get a metal fixation off of my lower leg and then I spent 7 months in rehab, learning to live independently again before returning home to gain some kind of normality. Basically, I wasted no time, I wanted to start being active again – during the 7 months, my focus was on sport and what I could get involved in now as a full-time wheelchair user. I kind of wanted to prove to myself that the wheelchair wouldn’t stop me. I wanted to do something different & totally out of my comfort zone. I had also been away skiing with Back-Up http://www.backuptrust.org.uk an incredible organisation that supports everyone and anyone through life with a spinal cord injury and was motivated by all the amazing things they do for people.
A challenge gives you purpose…so I decided to set myself one. It presents you with a feeling of achievement. It overwhelms you with nerves and excitement. And although paralysis had presented me with the biggest challenge of my life through no choice of my own, I had to prove to myself I was still capable of big things. My challenge: 3 marathons in 3 days. Why? Because one was not enough! I took on 80 miles through Scotland in my wheelchair. On two of the days, I covered the mileage with lots of friends and family and completed the Great Stirling Run for my 3rd day in sight of raising funds for BackUp.
I have now started wheelchair racing and I am training full-time with a coach. I am starting a sport that’s completely new to me, so ultimately I know that I have to be committed to the training. I think everyone always has days when they feel tired or unmotivated. Sleep and nutrition is a massive one for me as having habits that make eating well easy. When I can’t be bothered I think of my goals, and what do I want to achieve, remind myself why I am doing it and look forward to where it takes me. I also have taken my accident as an opportunity to achieve great things so I am not lacking any motivation at the moment!
My advice when anyone asks me where to find motivation, I say set yourself a goal. No matter how small or great, give yourself something to achieve in order to make the hard work meaningful!
Have you been inspired by Melanie’s story? Are you an athlete facing a similar challenge? We would love to hear from you!
Rochelle
Did you find this article interesting? Visit our other sections Mind & Body, Inspirational Life Journeys & Recipes to read more!
Follow RunBodyRun on Facebook, Instagram and LinkedIn to get notifications of new stories and healthy recipes.
Disclaimer: Run Body Run is an online magazine that shares events and services related to fitness, health and well-being that may be of interest to our followers. Please note Run Body Run is not affiliated in any way with the pages or people whose stories and recipes are shared in our articles. However, this article may contain affiliate links for products that we feature on our Recommended Products Page. We only endorse products we use and truly believe in. If you are interested in any events, products or businesses mentioned, please contact the companies and organisers directly for full information. If you feel that parts of this blog relate to you and you’d like to discuss this further, please fill out the form on our contact page.