Challenge 2023
It’s been a while! I have been rather hectic since my last post. The challenge I spoke of is roaring ahead. It will be on the 21st of August 2023 at Exeter Arena, where I will be attempting to become the 1st recorded woman to wheel for 12 hours nonstop using an everyday non-sport wheelchair. At the same time, setting a new world record for the fastest distance travelled. It is going to be tough. The whole event will take place on a normal tartan running track! That’s right! Wheeling round and round in circles for 12 hours. Now, you may think that the circling is the worst part, but actually, it’s the surface itself. It’s like wheeling on fluffy carpet. If you’ve ever wheeled across that, then you know what I’m talking about. It’s very little freewheeling, so you have to keep up a constant work rate. I can honestly say, the 1st day I did an hour and I went home, sat down with my wife and said, “What the heck have I done!” But now, a few months later, I’m at 9 hours in training, and this Friday will hopefully be 10 hours.
In the photo above, you can see my other love and inspiration for what I do. I am a huge supporter of women’s rugby. My wife and I spend most weekends travelling wherever our team, Exeter Chiefs, plays. Within that team, we have 5 USA Eagles, which are phenomenal players. The whole team are incredible and have just won the Allianz 15s Cup for the 2nd year in a row and made it to the cup final in for the 2nd year too, narrowly missing our to Gloucester heartbury in a nail-biting final on Saturday. On the same day, we had to shoot off right at the end of the game from Gloucester to Birmingham to an awards ceremony. Yes, I was given an award. I was totally happy when I got the email. Right up until getting the award itself, I was still thinking that they had gotten the wrong person. But no, it’s sat on my shelf right now. I won the Jack Trigg award for personal endeavour, for my events last year.
So, between rugby and training and planning of this epic event, I have been rather busy. Of course, any of you who have a chronic pain condition know that busy equals increased pain. So I’ve been having a lot of flares lately. I’ve just had to roll with it (pardon the pun) and train when I can. I am also 2 weeks into an experiment of being vegan to see if that helps with my CRPS or my Fibromyalgia, or hopefully both. I will know more on Friday, as the research says it helps greatly with swelling and endurance. Both things which would, in theory, benefit me. So I will keep you up to date with this. I can say the food isn’t too bad at all. I’m supplementing protein, but I was doing that already. The only difficulty is eating out as I am allergic to gluten as well. So it is really tough. But that is something that just needs some research, and we don’t eat out a lot to worry about it. So that it from me for now. I will do another update as soon as I can. We have lots of exciting news to come with regards to next year’s plan. During which I’m hoping to organise a documentary for my next venture which will be a fly on the wall look at an athlete with CRPS and fibromyalgia and showing absolutely everything, so others may be aware of these awful conditions, especially CRPS, which has very little exposure. 😉
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Lexi Chambers