The Challenge:
End To End Bruce Trail
The Bruce Trail runs south from Tobermory to Niagara. It is the longest and oldest footpath. Go look them up! Did you know they run off of donations? Become a member, support some of our national heritage...
brucetrail.org
For many many years the adventure hiker has braved making the End to End trek along the Bruce Trail. In more recent years, the ultra running community has shown some interest in attempting this 885km trail as a "Big Goal". To which I say, Thank you! You Ultrarunner folk are so inspiring!
As a disabled endurance athlete, my goal is always to show up, do my best and put all concepts of my disability aside to accomplish an adventure that most would not try. Or rather that most would assume I might not try.
I say BE BRAVE! Everyday... no matter what anyone says. Do your best and see what you can accomplish.
Let me ask you this, What do you know of disabled sport? Or in a larger sense, What do you know of disability?
Did you know that apparently 10% of the worlds population is disabled? Did you know that 40% of people have a disabled person in their immediate circle of family and friends? Did you know that the "disabled" are the worlds largest minority group?
Did you realise, it's also the group that any of us could become a member of at any time?
How would you feel if I took hockey away from you? Not a hockey fan? okay tennis? or soccer? or running? Walking? Cycling? Swimming? ...you get the idea.
Here's another question; When you imagine an olympic swimmer, do they have two arms? Can they hear you cheering for them? Do you think that altering your image of this swimmer changes your thinking? Or change theirs?
Now what if that same disabled swimmer is slowing down your exit from the gym change room? What if that same disabled swimmer is stuck at home without a way to get to the gym to train? What if that disabled swimmer is a child lost in their dreams of one day, merely, taking part?
.... That is why I'm doing this.
On August 4th, 2014, with the help and support of a team of volunteers I will be starting my quest to run the Bruce Trail from the north end to the south. Each day, accompanied by two guide runners we will travel at least the distance of a marathon (42.2km). This adventure in ultrarunning is set out as an Awareness Campaign for Disabled Athletes. The entire journey will take 20 days. The last day, August 23 2014, is the only day we won't be covering an ultra disance. The last 5km of the Bruce Trail, we are hoping you will all join us to walk to the finish. So that together, we can all help to create a space of openness for the participation of all people, disabled or not.
Disabled Athletes here in Canada have access to this wonderful organization called Achilles Canada. Check them out here...
www.achillescanada.ca
This is the group I learned to run with. This is the group that met me at 5:30am three days a week and taught me to run one min at a time. They taught me to be brave, to ignore limits, to push preconceived notions of all I could do. They have arranged numerous guide runner volunteers over the course of the last five years to help me take part and finish 5K's to 100 mile races. As this journey continues there will be a way to donate to this wonderful organization. Please check them out.
In the meantime, now you know the challenge. Please please follow along as we attempt to make some changes to the way the world thinks about
"Disability" and
"Sport".
Much love on the run,
rm
