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Britain to America
Ok I have had the most varied couple of months in years. Going back to earlier in the year I was lucky enough to have a media pass for the boatrace. The reason why? Was to get some blogging done for the World Junior rowing champs in August, this is an event which is an test event for London 2012. I was fortunate enough to meet with Cambridge head coach Steve Trapmore. He had rowed at the world juniors earlier in his career before going on to win Olympic gold in 2000.
I also waited at the finish to watch the trophy presentation whilst the great and good of rowing plus BBC sport buzzed around. I didn’t have to wait too long until the next rowing event. The following week I had helped set up a twenty four event for indoor rowing. I had two friends who had chosen to go for a British record and a World for rowing 24 hours on a machine. In what turned out to be an exhausting 24hours the boys both claimed their records. Andy Hammond claimed the 19 and under world record for rowing 24hours on a machine and Richard Boydon claimed the British record.
Later in that week I had to get the Solent Rowing club down to Cornwall for training camp and then back. The Sunday of that week I limped through Brighton to claim my ninth ever marathon medal with very blistered feet.
Fast forward to the last three weeks. I travelled up to Birmingham for my first ever adaptive rowing medal, then performed at Henley the following week. I have also clocked up to 17,800 miles in my stationary bike challenge. It was the following week though the most mentally testing moment was to come.
I had been invited over to Cowes to do some sailing as a taster as to what the start of the Paralympic pathway was like. The physical side of sailing hit me and also I got a massive eye opener as to what I had to learn. I had this mental barrier to overcome though if I was ever going to be good at paralympic sport. There were two soldiers I was sailing with that had been injured in Afghanistan. One had lost both legs from the knee down. The other was walking on a prosthetic limb on one leg but was amazingly agile and both were excellent sailors. The second lad also informed me had shrapnel in his spine and heart. What was tough to get round was that because of my pasly/hemiparisis becoming a soldier was never an option for me and I had been rejected at application. There were those close to me who sure enough were going to let me know about it. Either to my face or thinking I couldn’t hear I had been called a “spastic” and on the odd occasion “cursed my God”. Also it was thought that I didn’t have a future. As hard as this was I never expected sympathy.
So there I was sailing with two amazing individuals who had disability because they bravely were injured doing a job I was not allowed to do. On occasion I got my head round it to show what I could do. On one occasion Goose winging I popped my shoulder out which is something I’m used to and I have got used to putting it back in myself. However in light of what these guys had been through I daren’t complain even though it smarted a little. So because they were doing a job I didn’t have a chance to do and now injured there were sailing alongside me.
The following Saturday I took part in an American football old boys game a sport I had taken up to prove I could have been physical and disciplined 18 years ago. Along with some of my best friends we won and also made some new mates. Now to move on and work hard on the future.