Being disabled, my childhood was largely about what I could not do. Phrases such as “stop, or you will hurt yourself”, “that is too hard for you to manage”, “just keep out of the way”, and “I will do that for you”, became the soundtrack to my youth, and always said with my best interests at heart of course, (insert eye roll here).
Unsurprisingly then, I barely took part in sport as a child, unless you count ballroom dancing. Although, I suspect this was only because no one had any idea about it being a type of exercise at the time.
In primary school, I ‘played’ the odd game of cricket, where I had a runner who never had anything meaningful to do, as I could hardly ever actually hit the ball, and one year, a very sadistic teacher made me compete in the 100m sprint at the sports carnival. Needless to say, I did not sprint. In fact, I was so slow, that the next race was being set up (including the ribbon, which I eventually had to duck under), before I even crossed the finish line. The humiliation still haunts me to this day!
But nothing compares to the nightmare that was, ‘Uni Gym,’ which is where a group of children of various ages and disabilities, are paired with a university student who is studying sports science or similar, so that they can ‘train’ them at the crack of dawn every Saturday in such activities as ribbon twirling and take them for a dip in the unheated outdoor pool, all year round.
I am still not sure who was meant to benefit from this ordeal, but my parents insist I loved it.
All of this meant that by the time I reached adulthood, the thought of doing any physical exercise, let alone participation in organised sport of any persuasion, filled me with fear, for the sake of my body, and especially my ego. Worse still, the result was that I really had no idea of what my body was actually capable of achieving.
I was more than 20 years old before I realised that climbing stairs was not an impossible feat. This was a revelation, and now it was impossible for me, (and anyone else for that matter), to keep my feet on the ground. Both literally and figuratively.
Having always been told that with my condition (which includes general muscle weakness), I would only ever have a muscle capacity of 20 per cent, I joined a gym and got a Trainer. We started very small; weight training with weights of less than one kilogram, a bit of sitting and standing, and a few minutes on the recumbent bike, that sort of thing.
And what do you know? I started toning up, and as the routine expanded and more resistance was added, my physicality improved. Then, these tiny bumps appeared on my upper arms. “Hang on, are those biceps?” I thought to myself. Wow!
This spurred me on to greater heights, much greater heights. A skydive at 14,000 feet and an abseil down a skyscraper, to be precise. Turns out I like getting high so much, I did this three times. Once dressed as Wonder Woman (don’t ask).
My new-found enjoyment of exercise and unbelievably, extreme sport, then led me to enter the 2014 City to Surf, where I took on a 4km walk. I crossed the finish line dead last, and just as the marathon runners (who were completing 42km, and started hours after my category), overlapped me.
It did not vote well for my new-found confidence in my abilities.
But, my journey toward discovering what my body can actually do is ongoing, and, while it has not yet involved me winning Miss Bikini Fitness, snagging Paralympic gold in weightlifting, nor with me becoming the skydiving world record holder by hurling myself off a plane from the edge of space, although I am ready and willing should the opportunity arise.
This year, I did however have another attempt at the Chevron City to Surf for Activ.
I did take a fall two kilometres in, and a wheel fell off my walking frame, who I fondly call Cecily, mere metres from the finish. Still, I finished, and I did it in a personal best time of 1:32.
I wasn’t even last this time either! I stepped across the line seconds ahead of my Exercise Physiologist. Sure, that may only have been because he was holding my wheel on for me, but it’s progress, and I’ll take what I can get!
It was much more enjoyable this year! I trained for it this time, so the course felt far less arduous, and the entertainment along the way made it feel more fun and less serious.
I’ve already signed up for next year’s event. Register now to join me at perthcitytosurf.com.au
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Nina writes her own blog Inner Musings of a Funny Looking Kid. She doesn’t receive any supports from Activ Foundation but has jumped on board with Activ to share her first-hand experiences of living with a disability and educate the public through her witty musings.
Look forward to quarterly catch-ups with Nina through Activ’s socials and website.