I arrived home from the
City of Dreams on Friday, and one of the first things my 10 year old niece,
Zoe, wanted to show me was this advert from H&M, which she had seen on YouTube.
The words of the advert were as follows……
“I thought it was too late. I thought
the goal was too far away. I felt like I couldn’t do it alone. Or with the
entire world watching my every step.
I fought to belong and for my right to be different. I felt trapped – by my
body and by what others expected of me. I had to find strength within me that I
didn’t know I had. I questioned whether it was really worth it.
Nothing came easy. But nothing truly
important ever does. To keep going, no matter what the obstacles, is what
victory looks like. Whether you’re representing your country, or yourself”
H&M Advert – Victory Sports Campaign
If you had said to me a
year ago that I would be racing in the New York City Triathlon, 1 year after I
had really started training seriously to do triathlons with just my arms, I
probably would have thought, well maybe give it another year, say 2017, then I
could consider New York.
As things moved on, and
within the span of 12 months, I had raced up to 9 Triathlons, that’s nearly 1
race per month, all was coming together to just stretch my limits and take on
my first international race, and not just a small one, the New York Triathlon.
A city, which for sure doesn’t sleep, and for sure is where dreams are made!
If I wasn’t living in Cape
Town, I would be living in New York that’s for sure! The week leading up to the
race, I got to have an amazing few training rides, one around Central Park in
my wheelchair and another along the Hudson river on my hand cycle.
The weekend of the race, was
filled with expos, registrations, parathlete briefing meetings, social
breakfasts with the other say 30 parathletes, with various forms of
disabilities, all coming together to how far we could each dream!
My dad and my friend Joanne, were
my “slaves” or handlers for the day but also the day before, getting all my
equipment down to transition is no small task, and all hands that can work are
pulled in!, Both of them earned their weight in gold, to have come to support
me and do it without ever complaining once!
Was a very real moment finding my
name on the board, amongst all the other athletes, Joanne thought, so to!
Waking up on race morning, I found was strange, why because
for the first time, in all the races I have raced I did not feel nervous, anxious
or wonder will I finish this one. There was a definite sense that this is the
dream, this was the goal and this is the day, so let’s go get it!
The swim was a 1.5km swim down the Hudson River that meant
we first had to walk about 2km up to the start, it was already getting hot.
They had predicted a very hot day, and even shortened the run route by 2km due
to heat before the start of the race.
Just after 7am, the PT1 (Hand cyclist/wheelchair athletes)
jumped into the Hudson River and off we went. I came out with a time of 29
minutes, and mud all over my face! Off we were to run the 500 meters to where
Transition was and onto my hand-cycle.
So they had said the ride was rolling hills, and lets just
say they didn’t lie, this was a long ride, of 40km of rolling hills, there was
not one flat piece of road. One hill, my watch said I was going down it at a
speed of 85km/hour. I wasn’t concerned about the speed, that was fun, what I
was concerned about is that, what goes down must come up, and I would have to
come back up this hill! For 3 hours this is what went on…..one stretch of road
I got to, it was quiet, no one else, all alone with my hills and my thoughts.
In the distance I saw a police vehicle, and a police man get out his car and
walk towards the centre of the road where I was cycling. As I got close to him,
he stood to attention and saluted me as I road past him, I was totally taken a
back, but it gave me tears but an added motivation to just keep going for some
more hills!I came into transition, after 3 hours of being on the road,
and 40km later.
Straight into my racing wheelchair to tackle the run, I am
just about to take off, and something feels strange when I am pushing my chair,
it’s not smooth as it usually is. And suddenly I realise my front wheel is as
flat as a pancake. In my head I think I can’t believe this, to have come all
the way to New York and I won’t finish because of a flat tyre. At this point
most of the athletes were finished, already making their way back to get their
equipment in transition, and here I am stuck. My dad ran off to go find a pump,
while Joanne stood waiting with me. I thought, but what if it’s a puncture, a
hole, therefore having a pump won’t make a difference. I turned looked at
Joanne and said “ I am going, flat wheel and all, just tell my dad” and off I
went.
The first section of the run is 3 blocks of 4 lanes, going
up 72nd street towards Central Park. I got into the centre of the
road and started pushing my way up the 3 blocks. This was the moment, that was
unexpected for me, as I did this, I had athletes, spectators, and anyone around
suddenly stop and start cheering for me and clapping and that’s where I
realised this was the moment, this was the time in which we can decide in life
to keep going no matter what, or stop. I pushed the 4km on a flat wheel, how, I
have no idea, I just did it. I was cut short in the run, and actioned straight
to the finish line, due to the heat, therefore didn’t get to finish the entire
run course as I was just too late.
I did however, go through that finish line, collect my medal
and with a determined mind, tell myself this is only the beginning!! With a
total time of 4hours 11 minutes.
So after 12 months, 10 races, bigger arms, bigger heart,
determined mind, I have to say, I haven’t arrived! What I have done is open a
door, a door that will lead me to many other doors, a door that opened when I
pushed it open, a door that wasn’t locked, a door that was waiting to be
opened, in the midst of all that was trying to keep it shut, I pushed it open
and rolled right through!
New York was real, although at the moment it feels like I
just woke up from a dream, it’s the reality versus the dream, and the reality
of the dream that is a journey on its own.
A huge shout out to my two
handlers, my dad and Joanne, they earned that medal as much as I did!
A huge shout out to my trainers,
Neil and Greg, for getting me to that start line and getting me ready to cross
the finish line!
A huge shout out to those who gave
to me financially for this trip, without the generosity of you, I wouldn’t have
gotten here and lived my dream!
A huge shout out to God, for
building me up, making me strong, and giving me all I need to do what I get to
do, especially when it’s hard. This is all for His glory!
What’s next, well after 12 months
of intense training and racing, my coach has forced me to take 3 weeks off of
scheduled training, what, do I do with myself J.
And then back to the drawing board of what is next, I have some ideas, but all
will be shared in good time!
Thanks again for all the support.
I have to say though, this has been a journey of faith, one that I take without
blinking at times. I am however still looking for some funds to cover the costs
of this race, I took a risk going, but the risk is I am still about R39 000
($3000) short, if you feel lead to give, please consider it. My bank details
will be below
For now, all I can say is, bye New
York you were real, and I know if you can make it in New York you can make it
anywhere!! #neverstopexploring #neverstopdreaming
To anyone who is, or would consider giving towards, this past race, financially, I am still needing some financial support, I dreamed big and with big dreams comes much needed support. I managed to raise $2575.00 but still short about $3000.00. Please let me know, or you can just deposit funds into my bank account.as per below.
Bank: First National Bank
Account Name: Catherine van Staden
Account number: 62189209549
Account type: Savings
Branch: Tokai
Branch code: 200 409
Branch Address: Shop No 10
Blue Route Mall
Tokai
7945
Account Name: Catherine van Staden
Account number: 62189209549
Account type: Savings
Branch: Tokai
Branch code: 200 409
Branch Address: Shop No 10
Blue Route Mall
Tokai
7945
Swift code for international transfers: FIRNZAJJ
