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I watched a documentary a few weeks back about Major Phil Packer, who was a soldier in the Afghan "war", until (a year or so I think) his jeep (or something) was blown up. He was left with a broken back/snapped spinal cord, which was meant to have left him in a wheelchair.
Only it didn't. Now the guy runs (well, walks) marathons for charity, and did the three peaks (Snowdon, Scarfell and Ben Nevis) earlier this year.
I forget how much money he's raised doing this, but there is a whole media machine behind it, playing up the story of the man left crippled who overcame his injuries to run marathons and climb mountains, you know the sort of story that the papers love.
I'd like to say before going any further that I fully agree that what he has done is nothing short of amazing, even miraculous, given his injuries.
It got me thinking though, about my own marathon(ish)-running endeavours...specifically about how if I wanted to I could probably raise a lot more money than I otherwise would, by making an issue of the fact I too have a disability. But then I've never wanted to make a big thing about it, never wanted to "play the disability card" probably because I've always wanted to be perceived to be as "normal" as possible. In part that's why I wanted to do the GNR in the first place, to prove to myself/anybody else who may give a damn) that I can do it.
In case you haven't got a fucking clue what I'm on about, I had a stroke when I was 6 (I'm now 27), and left with impaired mobility (and what is now abnormal physiology) on my left side. The list of thigs I was told I would never do is as long as your arm, but included such things as running, swimming, riding a bike etc... And I've done all those three things, because I decided I wanted to.
I was asked last year by somebody at work who does a lot of fndraising for the NSPCC (who I raised sponsorship for) whether I would like to have my photo taken and have a brief interview, to go in their next newsletter. I declined, for reasons previously mentioned.
I suppose what I'm rambling about is two-fold. Firstly it's about being stuck between wanting to raise money for a fucking good cause, and not wanting the attention, not mentioning the fact that perhaps what I'm doing is harder than it is for most people.
I think maybe more importantly I just want to actually be able to say to somebody/everybody that I actually find running difficult. I mean physically difficult - not just a question of fitness. And maybe the selfish, human part of me wants somebody to acknowledge how difficult it is (that's not a cue to anybody who happens to read to reply as such).
I dunno...maybe it's just watching that documentary got me thinking "am I doing something amazing here and not noticing it?" and then straight away afterwards, "no, you're being big-headed even thinking that."
Either way I just want to say I find running hard work.
Only it didn't. Now the guy runs (well, walks) marathons for charity, and did the three peaks (Snowdon, Scarfell and Ben Nevis) earlier this year.
I forget how much money he's raised doing this, but there is a whole media machine behind it, playing up the story of the man left crippled who overcame his injuries to run marathons and climb mountains, you know the sort of story that the papers love.
I'd like to say before going any further that I fully agree that what he has done is nothing short of amazing, even miraculous, given his injuries.
It got me thinking though, about my own marathon(ish)-running endeavours...specifically about how if I wanted to I could probably raise a lot more money than I otherwise would, by making an issue of the fact I too have a disability. But then I've never wanted to make a big thing about it, never wanted to "play the disability card" probably because I've always wanted to be perceived to be as "normal" as possible. In part that's why I wanted to do the GNR in the first place, to prove to myself/anybody else who may give a damn) that I can do it.
In case you haven't got a fucking clue what I'm on about, I had a stroke when I was 6 (I'm now 27), and left with impaired mobility (and what is now abnormal physiology) on my left side. The list of thigs I was told I would never do is as long as your arm, but included such things as running, swimming, riding a bike etc... And I've done all those three things, because I decided I wanted to.
I was asked last year by somebody at work who does a lot of fndraising for the NSPCC (who I raised sponsorship for) whether I would like to have my photo taken and have a brief interview, to go in their next newsletter. I declined, for reasons previously mentioned.
I suppose what I'm rambling about is two-fold. Firstly it's about being stuck between wanting to raise money for a fucking good cause, and not wanting the attention, not mentioning the fact that perhaps what I'm doing is harder than it is for most people.
I think maybe more importantly I just want to actually be able to say to somebody/everybody that I actually find running difficult. I mean physically difficult - not just a question of fitness. And maybe the selfish, human part of me wants somebody to acknowledge how difficult it is (that's not a cue to anybody who happens to read to reply as such).
I dunno...maybe it's just watching that documentary got me thinking "am I doing something amazing here and not noticing it?" and then straight away afterwards, "no, you're being big-headed even thinking that."
Either way I just want to say I find running hard work.
