Incredible performance!
Last week at the Swan Challenge we saw some amazing performances, Tai adding 2 laps to the course record, 15 Coventry Building Society employees out honouring a colleague and loads of others doing amazing things we never even hear about. There was a bit of stand-out performance though that I do feel the need to highlight. Sky blew us away.
We've had a wheelchair user before, Dean completed 3 laps at Salcey Forest. His hands were bloodied but he made it round the route, his first trail event. You don't have to have a huge imagination to understand trail conditions and wheelchairs throw up some rather large challenges runners don't face. The surface and gradients on some of our courses mean some simply aren't suitable without seriously specialised kit.
Sky turned up last Friday having not mentioned she'd be in a wheelchair - I saw someone arrive early looking at the map and just thought she was interested on what was going on - I didn't realise she was on the start list. We spoke about the course as I tried to hide my panic! As an organiser I want everyone to have a good day - whether they're winning or taking 3 hours to do 5k. Leaving happy is a basic standard for me. My mind immediately rushed to a stranded wheelchair user stuck half way round the woods... thinking of the worst possible outcome immediately is somewhat baked in to the job.
Sky said she knew the park quite well but hadn't been in the meadow. Graeme, one of the volunteer team, offered to go down and show her the meadow section. The blistering heat actually made this section better for her I think, the early heat had burned through the morning dew. Most mornings the meadow would have a wet, slippery top layer. Not when it's 28°C at 8am! The meadow could have been problematic due to the dew but also because of the roughly 400m 5% hill in the middle. Going uphill in a wheelchair is incredibly difficult. I can only relate it to doing so on bikes - but without gears!!
The rest of the course is relatively flat except another short, 5m maybe, steep climb on a corner. The corner is relevant as it doesn't allow a run up to get some momentum. Sky assured me she'd be fine and her plan B was to get out and drag the chair up behind her. I told her to maybe put that to plan F!! I assured her someone would help push her up if she needed it but she was adamant she didn't want extra help or special treatment (I think this might be a character trait!). To me though it's not "help", it's trail etiquette and camaraderie. If I saw someone struggling over a style or with their navigation on the trail I'd stop and help. We all look after each other on the trail.
Naively I thought if she managed to get around the course completing 2 laps I the heat would be pretty impressive. Sky completed 6 laps – 19.8 miles- and was out for nearly the whole 6 hours (with a few longer stops). I found this genuinely outstanding. I don’t like to underestimate anyone but given the conditions and the fact she had road tyres on I just hadn’t contemplated her being out the whole day. I hope she takes real pride from that effort. It would be amazing to see more people out on the courses with disabilities. Those who may want to try trail running and want a bit of an introduction in a safe environment. On the same day we had 2 visually impaired runners with us as well. Louise ran a marathon during the day (her 147th!!!!) and James at the Summer 10K in the evening. I’ll always try to accommodate where I can and try to be as honest and helpful as I can beforehand too. As I put earlier, you going home having enjoyed the day is the imperative.