Obstacle Mud Runner - Issue 7

obstaclemudrunner.co.uk ForEliteAtheletes toFunRunners 30 HEALTH : GRIEF when strong is all you have This is something that may seem totally insignificant but the events that proceeded from that simple sneeze, caused a whole family’s world to come crashing down OC racers also have an understanding what true community is. Support. Love. Guidance They say the most stressful things you can encounter in life are moving house, divorce and bereavement. Individually, I think every person we meet has experienced one, two or all three of these things at some point in their life time, and each one of these stressful episodes is relative to the person that has lived through it. No one’s experience is more or less painful, we all feel pain differently and wear our grief in varying displays. As human beings, we are resilient and survive these events, invariably coming out the other side, a little wiser, with a few more wrinkles, displaying external scars and deeper wounds that we hide from the world. As an Obstacle Course Racer, we are a breed that know what it is to use mind set and determination to get through challenges. The distance, the cold water, the exhaustion, and OC racers also have an understanding what true community is. Support. Love. Guidance. So this is the part when I say, no one could be so unlucky as to have to live through all three of these stressful episodes in a three-month time frame. And yet, here I am. The Walking Wounded. Years of mud and glory has taught me something I will be eternally grateful for and that is survival. Grief is like the ocean I’ve been told. It comes in waves, ebbing and flowing. Sometimes the water is calm and sometimes the waves crash over you and the storm rages around you as you cling on the ship wrecked pieces of your life. All we can do is learn to swim a little stronger and hope that one day, the waves won’t be quite so devastating. Early July 2017, my biggest supporter; my beautiful mum, Lorraine, sneezed. This is something that may seem totally insignificant but the events that proceeded from that simple sneeze, caused a whole family’s world to come crashing down. The sneeze led to a perforated ear drum, which led to undiagnosed infection, which led to Meningitis. Within 7 days of this minor sneeze, my mother passed away. My father and I were at her bedside in ICU as we watched her heart rate slowly reduce and the feeling of serenity we felt when she left our lives is something I will carry with me for the rest of my days. I was told to grieve, I was told to cry (and yes there was lots of this) but that hurt too much. I’ve known hurt, bruises, cuts, cold, but nothing prepares for this pain. On the day of my mother’s funeral, there was no denying the lives my mother had touched. The chapel over flowed with people wishing to pay their respects. My father, who has always been my hero, a strong proud man, sat still and quiet. He had known nothing but life with my mother for 49 years and seeing him reduced to this was something that broke my heart, but he could not have made me prouder remaining strong throughout the emotional, beautiful service, which celebrated my mother’s life and amazing achievements. There was a significant person missing at the funeral; my daughter in law; Imogen. On the day we laid my mother to rest, Imogen, went in to labour, 17 weeks early. Baby Samuel (lovingly named after my sister Sammy who passed away in 2010) weighed just 0.6lbs and fitted in the palm of my hand. THE WALKING (& running) WOUNDED OCR kisses have nothing on me By PT Emz Watts