My story

I am Richard Whitehead, a double bilateral amputee with an obsession for running.

Some people either have life or want life handed to them on a plate, that’s never been for me. I’ve never been spoon-fed success and like a moth to the fire I’ve always been drawn to a challenge. I’ve had to fight for everything I believe in, something that’s made me the person I am today – self-motivated, determined, focused. 

Why Running?

In the late 80s, at the tender age of 11 – yeah, I know I don’t quite look 31! – I was inspired by an empowering guy from Canada, "Terry Fox". An athlete who’d lost a leg to cancer, took up the challenge to run the breadth of Canada (west to east), a brave attempt to raise awareness for the disease that had claimed his leg and to inspire his fellow Canadians. Secondary cancer prevented Terry from completing his journey, his run did however generate millions for cancer research and his lasting memory still raises millions the world over. This courageous and determined man firmly planted a seed in the mind of a young amputee (me!) It was either that or becoming a heavyweight boxer like my hero Rocky Balboa....not likely!!

Unable to find the support to follow my dreams, i.e the funding for the technology I need to excel,  I competed in other sports at a high level - swimming,  cricket, field athletics and football. While I enjoyed these, I was soon realising ’sport was just sport’ and I craved a new challenge in life. I needed to feel driven in an activity that would push my body, mind and soul to a level that I never knew I could reach!  I'd always dreamed of being able to run a marathon, imagined the feeling of crossing the finish line. For me this was only a dream. Being a double leg above-knee amputee, the ability to run alone was a huge challenge! In January of 2004 I made the decision to take on one of the biggest challenges of my life, I entered the New York Marathon. Never had I run before, never-mind a 26 mile event with 35,000 other people!!! Some said I was crazy and maybe I was!

My Inspiration

A huge inspiration at the start of my running was Simon Mellows, a friend and cricket team-mate. We were known as the ‘little and large’ of the team, Si being 6ft 6” – the big hitter and me 3ft 6” with my legs off – nerdling the ball around for the ‘‘ones and twos’’ runs. A great partnership for some - an eye-catching duo at least! During my second cricket session with Si, he contracted secondary cancer - "sarcoma". He’d previously already lost a limb however to anyone who knows, this was fatal and within a matter of months he lost his life to this debilitating disease, leaving behind a widow and two adorable girls. Along with many others, he had certainly left his mark on an amputee (me) who at times of adversity took great strength from him, which I now take to every race. Each challenge I am faced with, I know he’s there, looking down on me, kicking my butt when-ever I need it!  I didn’t just want to run for myself, I was also driven to raise money for charities similar to those who had helped me whilst growing up. I chose Macmillan Cancer Relief and Sarcoma UK.  Already aware of the significant work they did, they were also a huge support to Simon and his family.

First Marathon

I started my New York Marathon training in the February of 2004, running on my knees using special sports cups, what I used before using prosthetic legs and sometimes use now and then. I trained mainly on treadmills in my local gym and then braved the roads, running mainly at night not to attract any attention!  This was hard work, running in the dark I found myself getting pains on top of other pains, some days I thought I was just running backwards.  At that stage the most I could run for was about half an hour. But I needed to keep going, as November was getting closer, I had not yet surpassed the 5-mile mark, a marathon distance just seemed impossible!

The local media had picked up my story and started to track my slow progress, which was encouraging me more to raise funds for Macmillan.  I was begining to feel the pressure - hundreds of Pounds started to roll in and family and friends were working hard to raise as much cash as possible. The summer was here and time was ticking. 10 miles was the most I had run and that had given me blisters the size of a 50p piece! Running was getting me down but I still believed that I would complete the marathon course, even if it took me a week!

My "saving grace" arrived in October, just 5 weeks before the race. A fellow amputee had heard about carbon fibre running legs, at approximately £2K each, they were certainly not within my reach. On understanding my challenge, Össur were very much inspired by my goal and donated 2 FLEX-Run™ feet to support me. I was chuffed beyond belief! With my local prosthetist helping to fit and make sockets for these feet it looked like I would at least start a race!

With 13 days to go before the Marathon my running legs were ready. My prosthetist advised that I take it easy, only wearing these feet around the house for a couple of days. With little time on my side I took to the road and ran for two hours. I’ve never felt pain like it!. I was out every night then, pushing harder and harder. In the final 2 days I realised I had to push myself to breaking point, so with bananas and water on board I ran until I needed a lift home. This was after 18 miles when I could no longer walk. I felt sick and distressed thinking I would struggle to make the journey, let alone the run.

7th November 2004, the Marathon was here, I couldn’t believe it! With an 8.30am start, I was up at 4.30am doing my prep. I started with disabled runners and had 2 guides along the way to run with me and collect water. With an outstanding £8,000 raised for Macmillan, the unconditional support of family and friends and the memory of Simon, I wasn’t about to let anyone down....I was to give this my all! I finished the race in 5 hours 18 minutes. It was amazing! Thousands of people kept me motivated and really pushed me for the last 6 miles until I crossed that line – the most incredible sensation I’d ever felt.  A torrent of emotions, adrenaline surging to my core. Happiness I have never known before! I had achieved something that I never thought I could, would or should!

I have since ran 6 full Marathons (Edinburgh, London, Snowdonia, Berlin and New York x2) and 2 Ultra Marathons (Two Oceans, Cape Town - 34 miles and Comrades, Durban - 56 miles). I’ve been told I’m an inspiration, - disabled or not - I identify myself as an athlete and would hope others see the same.

I dedicate this blog to Simon, friend, mentor and inspiration. I hope that reading this, whether able-bodied, disabled, over-weight or socially excluded, you feel motivated to achieve the impossible.

"Some of the world's greatest feats were accomplished by people not smart enough to know they were impossible." - Doug Larson

My Work

I work as a Disability Sports Performance Pathways Coach (DSPPC). This means coaching and delivering multi-skill and multi-sports activities to students between the ages of 7 and 19 who are in special primary or secondary educational environment as well as in an extra-curricular setting.  Students are identified through the SEN (special educational needs) register, which is delivered for the Nottingham County Council in Nottinghamshire. I am also responsible for mentoring volunteers, coaches and teachers in delivery of these sessions so they can be sustained after withdrawal of my coaching.

The second part of my job is to develop talent within Nottinghamshire by providing pathways and exit routes into clubs and academies so hopefully we find potential and talented athletes, competing at regional, national and international level. This is for a variety of differing sports including swimming, athletics, table tennis, football, badminton, rowing, sitting volleyball and sledge-hockey. All transitions are supported by myself through monitoring.

Visit my website at http://www.marathonchamp.com/