Relearning to Walk

I would like to flesh this out a bit by explaining the premise as it relates to the blog title* etc.. My hopeful intention is to compete in an Olympic triathlon in 2019. This will not be my first such triathlon, having competed, halfheartedly, in a few of them before. Furthermore, I do not look like, nor am I, a classic athlete. I've been in hospitals for 8 months since my accident which has me in a condition, physically, that does not encourage me, or anyone, to aim high at triathlon. That is, however, what I plan to do.

*the blog title has changed

I should explain what my intentions are. Previously I have "broken" 3 hours in an Olympic. Most recently, however, I failed to do even that. In Dublin City Triathlon (DCT), 2015, I managed in just over 3, at 3:00:02 (annoying). I  plan to compete once again, in 2019, and this blog will chart my transition from chubby wheelchair user to, hopefully, athletic triathlete, breaking, comfortably, 2:45:00. Claire will again be needed as triathlon has long been "our thing",  but first, I will have to get back on my feet.

I am currently relearning to walk. The term "relearning to... walk (for example)" has long been misunderstood by me. I always thought "it's like riding a bicycle, just put one foot in front of the other, it'll be grand". Sadly, as I learned while relearning to eat, our bodies or our brains (more accurately), take care of much of the grunt work for us. More on that in a later blog article.

So far Claire has been instrumental to my relearning experience. Every day, on top of my physiotherapy, I do many additional things, encouraged by Claire who EXPECTS it. For example, we patients have these rails (pictured, hopefully) in our rooms, which I use as support to walk the length of the room. I also use it for squats, I must include a video of that. Balance is a big part of walking. I'm like a 1-year old at the moment.


I'm expecting visitors today. My mother, along with my two sisters, are coming later. I'll name them so as to make them eligible for a guest article: Triona, Siobhán and Cathy, respectively. So, I think I'll give blogging a rest for today, to give my right arm a rest. Note to self: It might be interesting to include, next time, a bit about German culture as it relates to, and contrasts with, Irish culture.

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