UK’s first mass ParaTri

March 25, 2015
Posted in News
March 25, 2015 Kris

UK’s first mass ParaTri

On Sunday 9th August 2015 the first mass-participation disability event will take place at Dorney Lake, Windsor.  This great event has 7 different races offering a disabled individual or relay team with a disabled team member into the different categories.  The event accomodates a variety of abilities within the categories by permitting wheelchair pushing to be included in both the running and cycling sections whilst also permitting power chair entry in the novice categories.  This we think is a huge step forward as power chair users are often exluded from these types of event – whilst  using a power chair may not demonstrate physical fitness, it still requires co-ordination and control and is the users only form of mobility and like everyone else people that require a power chair should be able to take part.

We teach classes with clients who have varying ranges of physical abilities and have seen over the last 12 months significant changes in their abilities.  These changes are not just physical ones, there has been improved confidence and motivation within the groups and a desire to achieve more.  The range of options offered by this forthcoming event has enabled us to put together not one team but two teams enabling Wheely Good Fitness to enter two of the categories available.

The first team is for the Sprint ParaTri – 1km Run/Push, 3km Cycle/Push, 150m Swim. Making up this team is Susie who will be performing the 1km Push in a wheelchair – Susie is 58 and has Cerebral Palsy affecting both her upper and lower body, she uses a wheelchair and since attending our classes has improved her upper body movements to the point that she can now steadily self-propel for a time.  Performing the 3km Push will be John who is 50 and also has Cerebral Palsy affecting both his upper and lower body and he will be taking part in this section using a power chair. Our final team member is Chrissie who is one of the Support Workers for Scope who supports some of our clients attending our classes – she is extremely pro-active with our clients and will be performing the 150m swim.

team1

Our second team is for the Half ParaTri relay – 2.5km Run/Push, 10km Cycle/Push, 400m Swim. Making up this team is Elliot who will be performing the 2.5km push in his wheelchair – Elliot is 26 and has Cerebral Palsy affecting both upper and lower body. Since attending our classes his overall fitness and abilities have improved seeing him also entering his first half marathon under his own steam in May. Our second team member is Julie 47 who also has Cerebral Palsy mainly affecting the lower body – since only recently starting to use a wheelchair Julie has become extremely competent and competitive and is also taking part in the half marathon with Elliot this year.  Julie will be perfoming in the 400m swim for this team and we expect to see her taking part in many comtetitive wheelchair events in the future.  The final member of this team is Kris who is 44 and our class instructor here at Wheely Good Fitness.  He has a progressive medical condition and degenerative joint condition and a s a result uses a wheelchair – he is one of 12 people entering this years London marathon in a standard wheelchair along with the half marathon alongside Julie and Elliot.  Kris will be performing the 10km cycle section of this event using a hand cycle.

team2

Regardless of where our teams come in this event, we know it will be a fantastic day for all involved and something some thought they would never see themselves doing.  It is hoped that this will further encourage others around them to realise that anything is possible whilst furthing those involved to continue to push their own personal boundaries and experiences.

If you are interested  in entering this event or would like to know more about it please visit ParaTri