For more than 30 years, a marathon has been held in London. This celebration of sport brings together thousands of runners from all over the UK every spring.
On April 22, 2012, the London Marathon gathered more than 36 thousand participants, and one of them deserves a special story. The name of this athlete is Claire Lomas. She started with everyone else, but finished the distance of 42 km 195 meters only after 17 days. Why? Claire Lomas is the first person in the world to overcome the marathon distance using an exoskeleton.
Claire Lomas was born on April 28, 1980 in the English county of Leicestershire (Leicestershire, United Kingdom). Her whole life was devoted to horses – the girl was professionally engaged in equestrian sports.
This was the case until May 2007. That spring, Claire decided to participate in international competitions – Osberton International Horse Trials. She was preparing to compete in the equestrian triathlon (Riding 4*), but during the warm-up a tragedy happened.
The horse was carried away – the rider crashed into a tree and fell. The fall proved fatal.
I was in shock. But I immediately realized what had happened. A healthy person does not know what it is to be paralyzed, but when it happens to you, you understand it instantly.
Falling, Claire broke her ribs and neck. The first provoked pneumonia, and the second – paralysis from the chest to the toes. From the saddle, the girl got into the intensive care unit.
Lomas spent 8 weeks in the hospital. This is a monstrously short time for injuries of this type. But Claire realized that simple medical and physiological rehabilitation would not save her, in order not to go crazy and not fall into despair, something more is needed.
The girl was discharged from the hospital and began to think about how to live on. Two things bothered her the most: how to say goodbye to sports, which was the meaning of her life, and whether she will be able to have children.
The loss of the ability to walk is more than just the inability to move. For me, this meant that I would not be able to survive the most important thing in life – meeting a person who would love you.
Such a meeting took place in Claire's life on one of the dating sites, where she met her future husband Dan. She immediately told him that she had a serious disability, as she understood that healthy people do not always imagine what difficulties a person with disabilities faces. Paralysis is not only the inability to walk, but also problems with the intestines, bladder, etc. Dan was not afraid of anything. In the spring of 2011, the couple had a daughter, Macy.
After getting married and having a baby, Claire no longer looked for any excuses. That is why in 2012 she decided to participate in the London Marathon.
To do this, she used the so–called bionic suit - the ReWalk exoskeleton. It is a robotic suit that allows an immobilized person to take an upright position and move around. The ReWalk exoskeleton consists of special plates, sensors, a control panel, crutches to maintain balance and a backpack in which the "brain" and the power of the structure are placed.
Claire Lomas became the first British woman to try on this bionic suit. Thanks to him, she overcame 2.5 km every day on the way from the start to the finish line.
It took her 17 days to conquer the marathon distance. Lomas did not receive a medal from the organizers of the competition, because according to the rules, the marathon must be run within 24 hours.
Claire Lomas received 14 medals at once! They were given to her by other participants of the race – as a sign of admiration.
It meant so much to me. Even more than getting your own medal.
Claire's "belated" finish made a real splash in the UK. At the cherished line, she was greeted by an honor guard of the English Royal Horse Guards, hundreds of Londoners took to the street to express their respect for her.
People who are not looking for any excuses never stop there. That is why in the spring of 2013, Claire Lomas again set a kind of sports record.
She went on a 644-kilometer bike ride in England. A special bicycle with electric drive and manual control was developed for her.
"What is all this for?" – you ask. Why does she need all these competitions, the Olympic movement (Claire also took part in the ceremony of lighting the flame of the London Paralympic Games), cycling? All this for one purpose – to raise funds for the research and treatment of spinal cord injuries.
I hope that one day it will be possible. Scientists are optimistic. And I believe that someday they will learn to return movements to paralyzed people.
Currently, Claire Lomas has been awarded several prestigious awards, including the title of the most inspiring woman in the UK. She brings up her daughter, continues to play sports, and also performs in front of the public. Her life has already inspired thousands of people not to look for any excuses.
