This woman, who is pregnant and paralyzed, completed a half-marathon and inspired us all
This woman, who is pregnant and paralyzed, completed a half-marathon and inspired us all
In the (eternal) era of Beyoncé, enters Claire Lomas to put any “girls run the world” doubters to rest. Running a marathon is a feat for anyone. Lomas did so while both 16 weeks pregnant and paralyzed from the chest down, the result of a 2007 horseback riding accident.
Averaging 3 miles per day over the course of five days, Lomas completed England’s Great North Run half-marathon with the aid of a ReWalk robotic exoskeleton, a wearable suit that empowers people with spinal cord injuries (SCI) to stand, walk, and climb.
“I’ve always liked personal challenges,” she shares with The Guardian. “I wanted to raise money because I saw a lot of people worse off than me in hospital with neck injures, who weren’t getting as much support.”
Though only 100 personal ReWalk systems are in use, according to Slate, Lomas clearly is making the most of an incredible resource, having previously completed the 17 mile, 2012 London Marathon in 17 days (with help from her husband).
While some view spinal injuries as a limitation, Lomas encourages people with SCIs to stay active.
“It’s good for your health, anyway, whether you are [an active person] or not and then there are the mental [health] benefits to it, too.”
Lomas’s determination and grit are the embodiment of the “growth mindset,” a concept developed by Stanford University psychologist Carol Dweck. According to Dweck, “In a growth mindset, people believe that their most basic abilities can be developed through dedication and hard work.” It’s an idea Lomas exemplifies every time she refuses the presumed constraints of her physical disability.
If all of this wasn’t incredible enough, Lomas also used her recent marathon training as an opportunity to speak with children at local schools and to date, has raised over £160,000 for spinal research.
Every year, people with incredible stories embark on the epic adventure of marathon running. Add Lomas to the list. Queen Bey would be proud!
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