The date is set. This is the date where I will be attempting another world record. I am hoping to become the 1st female to complete a 12 hour continuous wheel using my everyday non-sport wheelchair. The actual record (pending Guiness approval) will be the furthest distance traveled in 12 hours in a manual wheelchair (female). I am also hoping to beat the male record, if I can! To do this I will have to travel more than 87.5 miles. Not easy! But in my typical fashion, I will give it my all. What is the point in doing something that is easy? If it was easy, it wouldn’t be a new world record!
So I have been training since I recovered from surgery. I manged my 1st marathon just before Christmas. Which was just a month after leaving hospital, following 3 surgeries and 2 infections, totalling a month stay! So I was pleased with that. It wasn’t fast. But that isn’t what it is about at the moment. It’s about time in the seat!
So, 2 days ago I completed my 1st marathon this year, which I was super happy with. Unfortunately as keeps happening, my strava went a bit doolally. I did my usual marathon route. One I’ve completed 4 times now, but for some reason it diddnt count the whole way. The segments are way off as well. But rather than accept what is said which was 37km, and know I’d done the marathon, I kept going until it said that all important 42km. So I actually think I did 55km in total! I’m sure that anyone who has strava knows that feeling! Circling a carpark for a few yards just to make it to the number you wanted?!
So marathon complete. I had hoped this would be the bump in confidence I need. It has helped. But apparently I’m suffering from the same thing all athletes suffer when you achieve what you set out to do! A post achievement lul! I set my 2 world records last year, which I was desperate to achieve. Plus the 7 events and 13 virtual events. Now the records are on the wall, it feel like I’ve never done them at all!
How does one go about getting back the mojo? I have no idea.. but i have the desire to try, and that is the most important thing. I really want to make this 12 hour continuous wheel. I will be the 1st recorded female ever to do a something else. In the big plan, there are so many more of these. But I have to learn to pace myself and not stress about having time off!
So, what do I do when I’m not wheeling? Well, most of my time at the moment is taken up attempting to get sponsors. To get backing and to raise funds for the amazing charity I am hoping to raise money for this year, the Aaron Lewis foundation 🙏. They are am awesome charity who help veterans like me get back into sport. They have made it possible for me to complete my Triathlons by purchasing a handbike for me. They also keep in regular contact with me. They are amazing. I just hope I can give something back to them. People keep saying that I should give to one of the bigger charities. I’d get more notariety that way, but that’s not what it’s about. It’s about important charities. It’s about showing what can be done with the equipment you have. So you don’t have a sport wheelchair, but you can still do a 5k, or more in the chair that you have.
So that’s it for now. Today I have the pleasure of feeling sick all day, after having my every 3 day lot of lactulose! Yum! Then tomorrow I hope to be at the gym, depending on how my shoulders are healing from Sundays jaunt!
Lexi's journey through life as an elective amputee for CRPS. 
hi Lexi
Hope you are well and not suffering too much after all the challenges you have been doing lately. I bet it is great that you are finally getting out and about back to doing your challenges and you have a good team behind you.
What is it like using a hand bike? i was hoping to get back onto my bike using my prosthetic. So i had a go at the cycle machine at physio, unfortunately it did not work. I just could not move my right leg downwards. So hoping i will be able to get round it somehow.
Do you have many more marathons booked for this year?
Well i finally saw my vascular surgeon the other week the one who took my leg off. He was shocked that the plastic surgeon would not re-construct my stump, so he has decided to do it himself. this is getting done on the 12th April so i am hoping i am not going to be in hospital for as long as last time when i got my leg off. He was going to re-refer me to another plastic surgeon but i said i would rather he would do it. So he is going to do it before he winds down his NHS work before going away with the army again in september. I am lucky he is the Brigadier in the army and he is going to do it.
I have now been told i have crps in my left leg which is a big bummer so not sure what is going to happen.
bye for now
brenda
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Hi Brenda
I’m so glad that you have finally found a surgeon to do a revision of your stump. It always amazes me how difficult it is for us to seek treatment that we so badly need. I am so sorry about your new crps. Not what you need with everything else going on.
Make sure you rest lots leading up to your surgery (but I’m sure you know that already!).
I’m doing OK. Very busy atm. This year I am doing London again, and 2 other half marathons, plus a triathlon and a 10k. I’ve already completed 2 marathons in training. But the big one is a 12 hour continuous world record wheel, where I will be attempting to become the 1st female ever to wheel the furthest distance in 12 hours using a standard wheelchair. It’s going to be tough, but worth every second for the charity I’m raising money for. I’m a bit slow on the blog posts atm. I’m writing endless emails, begging for sponsors! Plus attempting to make the event as big as possible. I will put the details on my page soon.
The handbike is great. It is tough when you 1st begin, but it’s worth perseverance. Don’t expect to be able to travel as far or as fast as a normal bike, your arm muscles are much smaller than the leg ones, so it’s alot more difficult. But great for getting some upper body strength and good tone. Plus great fitness and enjoyment. Especially going down hill. It’s so much fun. I havnt been on mine for a while. I find it difficult when it’s as cold as it is atm, but as soon as we have some warmth, I will be back on it again.
I hope you have a lovely weekend planned.
Loads of love
Lexi x
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