UK Transplant Games - Coventry... (I know.. COVENTRY! lol)
Hello folks,
Well welcome to the another blog entry in less than a month - what is happening to me eh? Well the week was the UK Transplant Games in Coventry..
The opening ceremony got wide media coverage and you may have seen it on TV or on Youtube - or in the local press...
Chatting to people made me realsed there are people like me with really low lung function who can beat people with 'normal' hearts and lungs....
As usual it was a great time had by all - but the organisers again missed a trick. All the big awards went to the teams who got the most medals..
Surely the Transplant Games are not about that.. I (who have 25 per cent of the lung function of some of the people I competed against) got two bronze medals which I worked damn hard for...
Some people worked much harder than me for no medals...I can think of a couple of poeple on my own team who deserved a mention for their fantastic efforts..
People don't realise always that for some people to finish a race is a greater acheivement than for another to get a gold... One lady finished last in her race - but the look of joy was amazing..
She finished.. How many people in her position would stumble around a track with people who could sprint it? She did it because she was proud fo be able to finish.. and without knowing her.. I was proud of her too...I am glad her team gave her some big hugs at the end... They rock!
Yet all the awards at the end celebrated the teams with the most medals (mostly kidney and heart teams who have perfect lung function and can run like able bodied people)..
The wheelchair race almost brought a tear to my eye - two blokes did 800 metres and were so brave as it obviously wasn't easy...
I enjoyed the javalin (although only came fifth, but didn't disgrace.. _ and came third in the ball throwing event - like a heavy cricket ball you have to throw across a field... More tiring than it sounds...
All the talk was about the World Games in Brisbane - which irritated me as I obviously can't fly that far at the moment - too big a risk for the lungs....
One bloke on our team came up to me first thing and said 'lung capacity still not up then?' - But I found out he is a bit of a prat and looks like a gerbil - so I don't mind...
And if you look at his Facebook page he has some damn dodgy hobbies!
I do also realise now that The Transplant Games are some people's lives...period...
The organisers and team captains do a fine job for no money, it is not them I mean, but it is the athletes I am talking about. A couple I speak to don't have a life outside training!
Luckily most are like me - train to keep well and the games are a bonus.. I had many interesting chats over beer - everyone has a different and no less remarkable story... Scars were compared!
I did realise though a lot of the people going to the World Games aren't actually that good.. which does mean when they are closer to home I could get into the team no problems....
The social side of Coventry was better... Curry on Thursday, Friday I went to the 70s disco (pics to follow) after an exhausting day of table tennis - ended up playing about 20 games for my bronze...and danced way too much...
Oh the table tennis was the highlight for me because I had to work so hard for each match - best out of five each time.. and chain drank water and ate about 5 bananas during the afternoon!
Saturday I went into Brum with Deano and Jamie... and in the evening we met Terry and Justine etc on campus and drank a lot, before being unable to find a taxi!
Sunday night was the ball.. We all dressed up posh and had a great meal and entertainment and some moving speeches.. and danced the night away (yep, the band played that one!)
We then ended up at a BBQ until stupid-o-clock and got back to the hotel about 3ish I think... It was struggle to make it down to breakfast in the morning..
But a smiling Hungarian receptionist is always a good incentive... xxx
I hope to be well enough to compete in the Europeans in Sweden in June.. its another incentive to train eh? (I am still training every morning before work at gym and pool, because without it I know I wouldn't be able to play table tennis and walk into town and dance at a club....life life life)
Hugs xx
PICS TO COME!
Well welcome to the another blog entry in less than a month - what is happening to me eh? Well the week was the UK Transplant Games in Coventry..
The opening ceremony got wide media coverage and you may have seen it on TV or on Youtube - or in the local press...
Chatting to people made me realsed there are people like me with really low lung function who can beat people with 'normal' hearts and lungs....
As usual it was a great time had by all - but the organisers again missed a trick. All the big awards went to the teams who got the most medals..
Surely the Transplant Games are not about that.. I (who have 25 per cent of the lung function of some of the people I competed against) got two bronze medals which I worked damn hard for...
Some people worked much harder than me for no medals...I can think of a couple of poeple on my own team who deserved a mention for their fantastic efforts..
People don't realise always that for some people to finish a race is a greater acheivement than for another to get a gold... One lady finished last in her race - but the look of joy was amazing..
She finished.. How many people in her position would stumble around a track with people who could sprint it? She did it because she was proud fo be able to finish.. and without knowing her.. I was proud of her too...I am glad her team gave her some big hugs at the end... They rock!
Yet all the awards at the end celebrated the teams with the most medals (mostly kidney and heart teams who have perfect lung function and can run like able bodied people)..
The wheelchair race almost brought a tear to my eye - two blokes did 800 metres and were so brave as it obviously wasn't easy...
I enjoyed the javalin (although only came fifth, but didn't disgrace.. _ and came third in the ball throwing event - like a heavy cricket ball you have to throw across a field... More tiring than it sounds...
All the talk was about the World Games in Brisbane - which irritated me as I obviously can't fly that far at the moment - too big a risk for the lungs....
One bloke on our team came up to me first thing and said 'lung capacity still not up then?' - But I found out he is a bit of a prat and looks like a gerbil - so I don't mind...
And if you look at his Facebook page he has some damn dodgy hobbies!
I do also realise now that The Transplant Games are some people's lives...period...
The organisers and team captains do a fine job for no money, it is not them I mean, but it is the athletes I am talking about. A couple I speak to don't have a life outside training!
Luckily most are like me - train to keep well and the games are a bonus.. I had many interesting chats over beer - everyone has a different and no less remarkable story... Scars were compared!
I did realise though a lot of the people going to the World Games aren't actually that good.. which does mean when they are closer to home I could get into the team no problems....
The social side of Coventry was better... Curry on Thursday, Friday I went to the 70s disco (pics to follow) after an exhausting day of table tennis - ended up playing about 20 games for my bronze...and danced way too much...
Oh the table tennis was the highlight for me because I had to work so hard for each match - best out of five each time.. and chain drank water and ate about 5 bananas during the afternoon!
Saturday I went into Brum with Deano and Jamie... and in the evening we met Terry and Justine etc on campus and drank a lot, before being unable to find a taxi!
Sunday night was the ball.. We all dressed up posh and had a great meal and entertainment and some moving speeches.. and danced the night away (yep, the band played that one!)
We then ended up at a BBQ until stupid-o-clock and got back to the hotel about 3ish I think... It was struggle to make it down to breakfast in the morning..
But a smiling Hungarian receptionist is always a good incentive... xxx
I hope to be well enough to compete in the Europeans in Sweden in June.. its another incentive to train eh? (I am still training every morning before work at gym and pool, because without it I know I wouldn't be able to play table tennis and walk into town and dance at a club....life life life)
Hugs xx
PICS TO COME!
posted by Mark @ 7:31 pm
1 Comments:
At 2:51 pm,
Harry Harvey said…
This is an excellent blog post; I think there’s some excellent information here.
Just a small piece of advice, if your looking for accommodation in the Coventry area Take a look at this website, it lists 1000s of hotels and bed and breakfasts. I’ve used it lots of times and it always seems to deliver.
Post a Comment
<< Home