Breaking free from jail, yes that's what I got to do on Friday 6 December 2013.
It wasn't maximum security or minimum security breakout but a custom thought out escape by Colleen Jacka(event organizer) and myself and we did it.
What was the plan then only a 1,1km swim, then jumping on that trike for a 28km cycle and then a stroll down the road and back of about 1km, and this time getting to walk through the finish line and breaking free from "jail" and any barriers or boundaries I ever had in my life!

I love sport have always loved sport but gave up on it when I was 17 years old. Not because I wanted to but because as I got older and older my legs got worse and worse. I was born with spastic paralysis in both my legs. The nerves have gradually been dying causing my walking to become more and more difficult and having the end prospects of not being able to use my legs. I can honestly say I gave up on sports in the physical but somehow I never gave up on my dream in my heart. This being a sports person had nothing to do with the fame that comes with it, it had everything to do with my love for sports. Giving up on a dream was not the greatest part of my journey. The past 2years has been a process of rekindling this dream.

I was asked what goes through your mind when you are out there in the water, the cycle and that walk, well a few things but here is what went through my mind on Friday

Swimming, couldn't really get to think especially in the beginning with nearly 450 swimmers in the water....was an interesting place to be. I do keep reminding myself to kick, I have this bad habit of not kicking at all and dragging my legs for 1.1km, and trust me they don't complain because they know ahead of them is some work on that trike of ours.

Exiting the water, takes some planning, so what do I think of, I am hoping my helper is there to take me out otherwise it will be me sitting there waiting to be picked up! Luckily I had some amazing friends and volunteers helping me.

Now the work really begins and the talking to my legs starts. The cycle......I can't remind myself to "just keep swimming swimming swimming" as in the movie Finding Nemo but it's all about saying "just keeping cycling cycling cycling".

The one great thing about my trike is I don't have to balance and so one less thing to think of, I won't fall over. It takes something to keep cycling when my legs decide that they don't want to that's when I have to find some thing stronger in myself then just my non functioning legs. I dig deep and keep reminding myself that it will be worth it in the end, it will be so much fun finishing this race, then....why I am doing this, it's just painful, what am I doing......I love sports, I love that I can rekindle my dream, I love finding a hope......I can't do this, it's to hard, why don't I just stay at home and accept my disability and stop being so crazy.....where is that drink of GU, yes that what I need......just keep cycling cycling cycling!!!
And of course the words that come from the other cyclists who come flying past me..."keep going" " nearly there" "your doing amazing".

Yes that's some of my thoughts on that cycle during jailbreak, never mind the wind we had to fight, I felt at some points I was going backwards!
Aha the last hill, how will we get up it when I can't even turn my legs in a circle anymore, I know just put your head down, don't look up and just keep cycling cycling cycling, and that's what I did and oh it was amazing when I hit the top of that hill and free wheeled down to transition.

"Oh wait how am I going to walk now I can hardly move my legs anymore". I sat down put my running shoes on and headed out on my little stroll. Each step painfully hard, what do I think at this stage,  "where is that finish line" "I just want a hot bath" "this is such fun" "I love what I get to do" "really people think I am inspiring, I am just trying to fulfill a dream" " one more step, another step" "oh wow I can see the finish line, ok here we go keep walking keep walking, don't trip, pick up your feet" " find that last bit of energy and take that last step into FREEDOM"

FREEDOM at last, and this is just the start of freedom, so many more dreams to come true for me and my life.

"Nothing has ever been accomplished without PASSION"

Jail break,triathlon

This was a tough race....the wind was crazy but we eventually finished

 

 

My little journey so far check out my video clip!

More than just a Finish - A Start

"Nothing great in the world
 has ever been accomplished
 without passion" 
George Wilhelm Hegel

It was Thursday and I was driving my nieces to school and this song came on the radio...it was there and than that the 3 of us decided this would be our theme song for the big Triathlon race on Saturday.

Here is the first part of the song we will get to the rest....

Roar - Katy Perry

"I used to bite my tongue and hold my breath,  Scared to rock the boat and make a mess,  So I sat quietly, agreed politely
I guess that I forgot I had a choice,  I let you push me past the breaking point,  I stood for nothing, so I fell for everything

You held me down, but I got up (HEY!),  Already brushing off the dust,  You hear my voice, you hear that sound
Like thunder gonna shake the ground , You held me down, but I got up (HEY!)
Get ready cause I’ve had enough,  I see it all, I see it now"


So Saturday arrived and all I had to do was..Swim 800 meter, Cycle 20 km, Run 5 km.....oh and smile and enjoy while I do it!
Firstly I didn't get to finish the run of 5 km I ran out of time but the question remains did I finish no I didn't I actually just started.

I could give you the minute by minute account of my race but than you would have to read a book and for now we don't have the time so just check out more pictures on my blog or Facebook to tell more of the story!

After 4 months of hard training, early mornings, and waiting patiently for my trike the day had finally arrived. Oh and so had the wind, the choppy water and  the unforgettable hills of the road.

When I started this journey I had no idea what kind of impact it would have on people in fact I was just setting out to dream big and achieve a goal but it's become more than I would ever have planned or even thought of. Saturday will remain in my heart for the rest of my life not just because of the race but because of the unforgettable experience of putting my disability  into a place where I  choose to allow it to disable me or I choose to use it to enable others in their dreams and goals.

I still received a medal :) and one crazy memorable moment when I was called up during prize giving to receive a prize for just being their and trying.....and the entire crowd of people gave me a standing ovation.....I had no idea or expected this......I know there were a few tears and lumps in throats, it was a moment never to be forgotten! And I got some new shoes to start training in for my next goal...I needed some mine had holes in from my past 4 months of training :)

So the rest of the song we started out in the beginning of this email goes...

"I got the eye of the tiger, a fighter, dancing through the fire, Cause I am a champion and you’re gonna hear me roar
Louder, louder than a lion, Cause I am a champion and you’re gonna hear me roar

Now I’m floating like a butterfly, Stinging like a bee I earned my stripes, I went from zero, to my own hero

You held me down, but I got up (HEY!),Already brushing off the dust, You hear my voice, you hear that sound
Like thunder gonna shake the ground, You held me down, but I got up (HEY!)
Get ready ’cause I’ve had enough, I see it all, I see it now"

So what did I start since I didn't finish the race, I started seeing and showing for not just others but myself what someone can do with some, COURAGE, HOPE and crazy DETERMINATION. We are born champions we just need to find it somewhere deep in ourselves because the "world" will tell us we are "losers" but we can choose to believe...who we are and what we can do. We have one life and I choose to live it to impact the world no matter what life has thrown at me, my disability will try disable me but I am choosing to dis- enable it!

I have received so much support through my friends, my coaches - Greg (SSISA), Claire and Luke(My Training Day), my company CBM, Trail and 

Tar for fixing my trike for free, to Western Province Para- cycling (Mike and Karen Burns) for finding my trike and the support for part of it, to my one friend"pink" (you know who you are) for sponsoring the trike, my other crazy friend with the hair for sponsoring my gear and shoes, and to my other friend for letting me GO FOR IT!

.".........I leave you with this for now "something is only impossible if you turn around and walk away from it, so don't turn around, walk to it, to whatever your dream is!!!!!"

If you missed my interview on radio. Click this link to listen : https://www.dropbox.com/s/eqqvstmyqqusrtb/Catherine%20van%20Staden.mp3
You can also view lots more pictures from race day by clicking here: www.avoice-enabled.blogspot.com
Or more photos on Facebook search for either Catherine van Staden or my Facebook Page: Disabled - Enabled 
And if you want to hear the song ROAR click here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CevxZvSJLk8

 

Acts 20:24 ESV
But I do not account my life of any value nor as precious to myself, if only I may finish my course and the ministry that I received from the Lord Jesus, to testify to the gospel of the grace of God.

Fresh Pack Triathlon Pictures!!