All posts by Russ

Saturday.

Events

The kitchen bed was a little full last night. 

A bloke with very limited mobility, Dani plus a 9 year old with a temperature. 
Poor Dani in the middle must have felt trapped, as well as having to look after the sick flanking her. 
Needless to say she came through it smiling. 
I’ll be up and dressed soon and en route to watch Lily play hockey for her school A team. She’s a pretty prolific goal scorer so hopefully I’ll be cheering on more of the same in an hour’s time. 
3 hours later: hockey over. Lost 8-2. No Lily goals. Lost to a better team. That’s life, that’s sport. They’ll get better I have no doubt. 
The girls in her team all came to chat to me later, very nice of them. 
One asked me if it’s great fun being in a wheelchair ? I’d like to say that it is. 
The innocence of youth. 

Monique’s g2g race summing up!

Events

Hi Russ and Rob!

So 273 km in 7 days. They say the second toughest self supported stage race in the world (Marathon De Sable is first). What to say now that it’s over? A marathon or more a day except stage 3 which was an 87 km day/night and over 20 hrs. Temp fluctuations were extreme from 35+ C in exhausting desert heat to below freezing at night. God, the dirt was an endurance test. Extreme winds at times and terrain that was everything from unrelenting soft sand to steep inclines, canyon descents, to sand dunes 30+ feet. The dunes took raw to tears determination as I went over each one with my friend Lishe at 3 am laughing like idiots at the difficulty of it. I lost a fair bit of weight and yes Rob those were my feet in the pictures. The photographers and media crew seemed to love to film the pain which at times was overwhelming. You were pretty much on your own for care and repair. Nutrition was solid thank God. I loved the landscape.  My tent mates were exceptional; 4 men and 3 other women from the UK, Ireland, Canada and the US. Very talented adventure racers and just plain good and supportive. The camaraderie was a definite factor to success; sharing food and assisting the one hurting the most each night. The emails sent from family and friends including you two was a highlight each night. Thank you. The event was organized pretty well although some improvements are required.  I was satisfied with my performance. Not one sore muscle. Running with a 20 lb pack is hard. If my feet hadn’t been so bad I could have pushed harder. That said, a lot of the course was not runnable beyond a trot. Tarantula, cacti and snakes were a reality. 

I asked myself repeatedly why I chose to do this. I guess we all push ourselves to see what is possible; to remind us who we are at our core. This one was different. Todd was waiting at the finish which kept me going (although he didn’t see me finish as the organizers made him move his car before I crossed the line- really????- how bloody short sighted and insensitive). I also found myself thinking of you Russ along each stage. Before and after the accident; how life can shift under you with no notice; how everything now will be an adventure and test of endurance for you; at least for awhile. I would examine the terrain and think ” Russ could kick this part; how could he navigate this stretch, etc”. The thoughts just made me even more determined to do everything I can to support you and get you back in the game. People overcame horrendous odds to enter and finish this race. Everyone had a story. You will too Russ. Will send photos! Lots of love- Monique.

Crazy bloody foreigner – Russ xxxx

My day.

Events

Home tomorrow , after hydrotherapy. 

My cherished daughter, Amber, is unwell. 
She has a high temperature and has been sick a few times. 
God I wish I could be there for her, to hold her tight and comfort her. It makes me feel so helpless and absent. 
More gym today. Went on a different machine to give me an aerobic arm and trunk workout. She said do 15 minutes so I did 40 minutes. Breathing heavily doesn’t really work as I don’t currently have the lung capacity, so it was a kinda controlled breathing workout, avoiding gasping in effect. Then I moved on to lateral pull downs. I was managing about 10 kg more than on Monday, which is a pretty bloody big change in only 3 days. 
That makes me think that really I’m going through a ‘ muscle reawakening ‘ process, as I surely can’t have put on significant muscle mass in that short a time. Anyway, either way it’s good news!
I got a new wheelchair too today, as the other was a bit buggered really. 
It seems a bit easier to control and they’ve lowered the back rest making me more able to sit up without resting my arms so much on my thighs. I’m not sure how much better I’ll get at moves like that, as it may be that my nerve connections just don’t allow it. We’ll see anyway. 
Roxanne came today. We did Devizes to Westminster canoe race about 6 yrs ago together, and despite only ONE pre race paddle together in the same boat, finished the race about 7th overall and 1st in the mixed crew division. At one point mid race in a portage over a lock near Reading, I got dazzled by a torch light and ran straight into the deep Thames. I remember that for the next hour or so I shook with cold, padding hard in the boat to try to generate body heat. It worked  and we finished strongly some 10 hours later, just after Big Ben and near the Millenium Wheel. 
My old cycling partner, Jonny, pedalled from Chiswick to see me too, arriving in full Lycra. I’ll have to get one of those arm powered bikes before long and give him a run for his money, just like old times. 
They’re very low down and you pretty much lie horizontal  in the thing. They seem to come with a flag pole attached to the back seat so that you’re visible to traffic too ( probably for the best, given my recent form )
Other than the obvious Welsh dragon, all flag suggestions welcome..
I have to say that I feel for cyclists’ safety so much more now. It’s sic a vulnerable way to travel, on today’s roads. 
When I think of the unnecessary risks I used to take quite regularly to get to places a little quicker, it makes me feel so  idiotic. Any of you cyclists out there could befall my fate ( or worse )  so very easily. 
Please learn from my accident – if in doubt slow down and err on the side of caution. Unless you’re in a serious race and superstardom is the prize, is the risk really worth it?
On a lighter note, the party plans gather pace and the guest list is swelling day by day. Please don’t all try to buy me a drink ,or I’ll die. 
I had alcoholic poisoning when I was a student, and it’s not great. Dani looked after me that night! 
Having it a wheelchair would be a lot worse, and Dani’s probably not keen on the idea, understandably. 
I’m now gonna watch a bit of Thursday night TV. Not being a TV watcher before really, it’s not a transformation I intend going through now, so I’ll coincide it with another ‘iron arms’ bedtime workout. 
Ok, here goes..

Wednesday.

Events

Lunch in the hot October sun today at The Woolpack down the road with Dani, Jenni, Cress, Jenni and also Helen and Sel. 

I’m not sure how many days of warmth we’ll get this year but glad I got to see one this year!
Now waiting for a rush of work colleagues , all nine of them, to arrive . My room mate, Jimmy, alias Kamp Commandant, is not happy at the prospect. He’s not willing to flex his routine for a night and just stay in the TV room a bit longer. Ah well…. 
Trying to learn to balance, seated,  on the edge of a plinth today. Falling over repeatedly was the actuality. It seems hard to imagine being ever able to do it at the moment, but initially K1 race kayaking was the same, and I mastered that ok…. So, stay positive Dawkins!
Steve and Pete were also very welcome visitors from Chiswick. I’m always amazed by the number of people who give a f%^*+ about me. 
Home in 2 days, holding onto that thought. I’ve got hydrotherapy on fri morning, arse scab permitting. 
I have always been OFFICIALLY negatively buoyant, in other words I sink like a stone, even in salt water.  When I go Scuba diving I use no weightbelt, which makes me freaky. Therefore swimming has always very hard for me. I hope they’ve got a full lifeboat service in the pool, or my blog entries may suddenly cease. Arm bands will further add to my loss of street credibility.
On the plus side my arms are stronger than 2 days ago, but I’d say only 50% there. I need a lot more power to throw myself around and be self sufficient. Daily gym visits are the answer, supplemented by a new nightly routine using the iron arms device…. Which I’m better with already on day two..
Happy birthdays to my niece, Olivia, and my God daughter, Emily, both an absolute credit to me and their parents. 
Enjoy, girls :).
Uncle Russ xxx

New month, new optimism.

Events

I feel now that I’m getting somewhere. 

My ass is recovering, they’ve given me a weights programme, and, as per the pic, they’re getting me on 2 wheels!
The last time I was on two wheels I broke my back, so good to exorcise that demon then…..
Had my usual lovely flow of visitors, Mary, Dan and Ollie and Patricia yday, and Dani and Frank today. Frank brought a delicious feast of Carluccio’s best take away, kicking the ass out of the culinary fare served here ( which, tbh , is pretty poor ).
I can now at last envisage progress. It definitely makes me feel a lot more optimistic for my future. 
I felt I was just drifting, unnoticed, for the last week, with little to look forward to. But, as of today, the light is brighter. 
My daily diary henceforth will be more packed with activities. My physio, James, reckons I could be out of here in 8 weeks. Jesus, that’s not long to learn all the skills missing at the moment, including such things as driving a modified car…. But James believes in me so who am I to question his experience…?
130 sign up’s for the pedalling part of the Spine-a-thon!
Don’t forget, you can just come to the bar and not pedal. Either way tho, tell Dan you’re coming ( danw@thehogarth.co.uk )
It should be the party of the year…. !