Obstacle Mud Runner - issue 6

obstaclemudrunner.co.uk ForEliteAtheletes toFunRunners 16 RACE : HELEN CHAPMAN overcoming obstacles I Come With Spare Parts Following a road accident aged 10 where I got hit by a 26 seater mini bus, I sustained a badly broken ankle which didn’t set right. It was re-broken and re-set. Despite that, it still had a mind of its own. I was a proper tomboy, still am. My favourite colour is pink. I was always very active and loved to run, climb, play football, trampoline and generally get dirty. The ankle healed and I was able to do all these things until the age of 14 when chronic ulceration set in just under my baby toe on my right foot. The ulcers would lie dormant for a while but reappear frequently leaving me out of action, in pain and unable to walk. I had lots of tests but Doctor’s couldn’t find the cause, so we put it down to the trauma of the accident. Each time they were cut out they just grew back, but each time, worse than before. I just wanted a normal childhood and not one constantly in and out of hospital. I went through this for 16 years having every treatment possible to save the foot before it finally got amputated in December 1998. By then I was age 30 and a single mum to a 2 and a 4 year old. I was given the choice to have the amputation or stay as I was. I knew that I would have a better quality of life by having the op. I had a Syme’s amputation which meant I was cut through the ankle and fitted with a prosthetic leg. I was looking forward to having my active lifestyle back and being able to do the things a normal mum would do with her kids. The years ticked on, my weight would yoyo but I joined Weight Watchers in 2010 and lost 4 stone which gave me the confidence to start new things. I joined the gym and in 2011 I power walked the race for life with my daughter, a week later I ran for the first time. 2 miles which I was so, so proud of. The leg wasn’t great and wasn’t really designed to run on but I trained the best I could. It broke 3 times whilst training for the 2012 London Marathon which I power walked in 6 hrs 26mins – another extremely proud moment. I applied to the NHS for a running blade which would be a huge asset to my running and would improve It broke 3 times whilst training for the 2012 London Marathon which I power walked in 6 hrs 26mins – another extremely proud moment by Helen Chapman