Have you any idea how many goes it took me to get into this position for the photo (in the 10 second time delay for the photo to take), navigating uneven grass – in a hurry – then balancing cross legged without falling over?!
Nine. That’s how many 😂😂
It’s been an interesting week full of challenges. I haven’t been able to wear my prosthetic leg for 5 days because of the damage the new socket was causing to my skin.
But, because my bike leg is a pin lock system and not vacuum seal, I was still able to ride my bike, I just couldn’t walk!
This forced me into the wheelchair permanently for a week, the first time I have ever had to do this. It also meant working was bloody challenging – massaging when I only had one leg! 😳
Sadly I get treated differently by strangers when I’m in a wheelchair, markedly so.
♿️ people look down on me (literally and metaphorically)
♿️ less is assumed of me – I must be spectating not actually swimming. I must be helpless and need everything carried and done for me.. etc etc
♿️ people visibly pity me. I don’t ask for (or want) your pity.
What I L❤️ve about my friends is that regardless of how I show up, no one ever bats an eyelid. Wheelchair, crutches, walking on two feet, they really don’t care.
Why can’t the rest of the world be like this.. 😔
Race countdown – 1 week to go
It’s just one week to go till I head back to Canterbury to settle a score with the Oxman. That race was meant to be my come back race in 2019 after my knee replacement in 2018. Instead I recorded my first ever DNF due to a yet to be correctly diagnosed left foot issue.
So I want to rule a line under it and actually finish it this time. This will be my first proper multisport race in almost ten years, and my first as a paratriathlete.
Race details
750m swim. Handler at the swim exit to help me up off the ground and hand me my crutches,.
T1: wetsuit off, bike leg on, handler pushes my bike to the mount line and I hoppety hop on crutches and bike leg. We swap crutches and bike over and off I go.
Bike: 46km. TriNZ are allowing me to use my E-road bike. 😃
T2: handler waits at the dismount line and hands me my crutches as I hand her my bike. IF my leg has healed well enough I will swap to run blade and run/ walk the 1.2km from T2 to the finish line. This will not be included in my finish timing as my clock stops when I get back into T2. But.. I want to run across that bloody line just to make a point!
Contingency plan: if the leg isn’t well enough healed I might can this completely, or walk it on my walk leg with the help of crutches.
Melanie Magowan 