Will she won't she?

I have learned that doing a marathon is one part placing one foot in front of the other, one part looking after yourself (eating and sleeping well), and one BIG part all about your attitude.

I have found out the hard way too.  Since I last wrote my blog, I have had an injury to my right knee, which slowed me down considerably but in the last week I have a new injury on my left knee - this is now the size of a balloon and needs rest.  REST!!  Just when I should be upping my mileage so that body and mind can withstand 26.2 miles when it finally comes on the 13th April.

Looking back, I started my marathon training with a time in mind.  Something that I could be proud of down the pub when asked 'How did you do?', a time that perhaps rivaled Paula!! Obviously not to be too silly about things and rivaling Gabriselassie was a bit too ambitious.

But now I realise it has nothing to do with a time.  This time it really is the taking part that counts. Getting to the start line is my new goal, and that is no mean feat as I currently type this up from bed, leg elevated with more ice on it than in the Antarctic. As my friends and family concur, it will be my sheer bloody mindedness that gets me round.  But, I just think of why I'm doing this and it all comes into perspective.

And so that brings me to another story, of an amazing person who 9 years ago, had her spinal cord injury aged 11. Laura was diagnosed with a curvature of the spine (scoliosis) at the age of 10. The curvature was so severe that she needed surgery. Laura walked into operating theatre but woke up paralysed from the chest down as the surgeon had penetrated her spinal cord with a screw.


After too many months in a ward at a children's hospital with no other children in the same position around her, without a proper explanation of her condition, skin sores and unable to manage her own bladder or bowels she eventually got referred to a specialist spinal centre. There, Laura and her family got the support they needed; both emotional and medical and the future looked brighter (as the ad says!). She came on a Back Up multi-activity course and never looked back.

At Back Up we have kicked off a campaign to ensure that all children and young people with a spinal cord injury get timely access to the specialist care they need to lead a full and active life. More info is here. 

Laura is starting Uni this autumn after doing exceptionally well at A-levels and finishing a ski season in Whistler.  At Back Up she has helped developed services for children affected by spinal cord injury and acts as a role model for many others coming to terms with their spinal cord injury. Back Up is all the better for having her support.

Please please do sponsor me and help me reach my goal of £3000, that will transform the lives of people affected by spinal cord injury and help me get off my backside and at that start line!
http://www.justgiving.com/Louise-Wright17

A big fat thank you from me. I'll keep you posted when I'm back up and running.

Lou x