Inspiring Reading!

As a follow up to my mention of people with disabilities overcoming the odds in my first blog, I'd like to recommend some running-related books that have inspired me.  All contain stories of people who have overcome adversity in their life to achieve incredible things.  All of them are a testament to the power of the human spirit.  More than one of these books has touched me to the point where this strange, salty fluid has emanated from eyes.

If you have any other book recommendations on this theme, I'd love to hear them!

"The Long Run" by Matt Long.  Matt Long was a NYC fireman who was knocked off his bike in 2005 and crushed underneath a 20 tonne bus.  He suffered terrible internal injuries and was given a 5% chance to live.  Yet, after 40 operations, he came back to complete not only a marathon but an ironman - a 2.5 mile swim, 110 mile bike ride, and then a 26.2 mile run.

"I am The Central Park Jogger' by Trisha Meilli.  Trisha Meilli was horrifically attacked in Central Park in NYC in 1989.  She overcame terrible injuries to not only run again, but to complete the NYC marathon in 1995.  She was a founding Board Chair on The Achilles Track Club, and the name of the annual Achilles race in Central Park is named after the full title of her book: “I Am the Central Park Jogger – A Story of Hope and Possibility”.

"A Victory for Humanity" by Dick Traum.   I will be writing a lot more about Dick in my blog as he has been a huge influence and mentor since I joined Achilles.  After losing his leg in a car accident in 1965, he recovered to run the first marathon by anyone on a prosthetic - and this was before the days of fancy carbon fibre running legs.  He completed 11 marathons and a 100 kilometre run, and went on to found Achilles International.  Achilles now has chapters in 70 different countries, and touches the lives of thousands of people with disabilities by bringing them into mainstream sport.

"Devoted" by Dick Hoyt - When Dick Hoyt's son was born with severe cerebral palsy, he was advised to put him in a home and more or less forget about him.  Instead, he started running with him, pushing him in his chair, and since their first event, they have completed 1000 events - including 68 marathons (including the Boston marathon 27 times) and 6 ironmans.  They also have some amazing clips on youtube which are definitely worth a watch.

Wilkomen!

Hello, and thank-you for visiting my blog!

To kick things off, a little bit about myself and what I intend to write about.  I'm a 36 year Brit living in New York City who is one down in the leg department.  I moved to the U.S. in 2002, and in 2005 acquired - for the first time in my life  - a leg specifically for running.  Before this, all I could do in terms of running was pretty much a hop, skip, and jump.

Following a year in India, I seriously took up running at the start of 2008.   I did my first marathon in New York in the November of that year, and since then have completed another four.  Next week I start training for my 6th - the Marine Corps Marathon - which will be in Washington D.C. on the 30th October, 2011.

I'm hoping this blog may be a useful resource for amputee runners, or indeed anyone thinking of doing a marathon for the first time.  I'll be writing about my training program and preparation leading up to the big day, as well as sharing stories of how I got into running, and my previous marathon experiences in New York, Boston, Chicago, and London.  One organization that is sure to be mentioned a lot is the Achilles Track Club, a running club for people with disabilities.  Through Achilles I've been fortunate to meet amazing athletes with all kinds of disabilities, who overcome them to complete incredible athletic feats, and in turn inspire those around them.

As well as documenting my running, I'll be sure to mention many of the other interests in my life - music, travel, reading, biking, swimming, as well as experiencing the joys of living in the eternally stimulating and fascinating city of New York.