New running leg for parkrun veteran

KNYSNA NEWS - The parkrun in Knysna on 29 September was the 163rd in which Sedgefield resident, 68-year-old Dave Wright took part – and during each and every one of these wearing a regular prosthetic leg.

Wright lost his leg in 2011 in a motorcycle accident.

Wright had done only a few parkruns with his daughter in Port Elizabeth before he lost his leg, he says, but after the accident he participated in a parkrun in George with his prosthesis, again accompanied by his daughter who had since moved to George. "First I started walking, but eventually I noticed I could run. I even passed my daughter at one point, which she wasn't expecting at all," Wright chuckles.

And now, after some three years of persisting with a regular prosthesis, Wright is looking forward to a specially designed running prosthesis thanks to his friend Nadia Arndt.

Arndt has been part of the team organising the Kalahari Augrabies Extreme Marathon (KAEM) for the past 19 years, and will take part in the event to raise funds for a running prosthesis for Wright. “It was time for me to enter the race to discover what it is like on the other side of the fence,” she says.

'Prosthesis makes all the difference'
Her inspiration is her husband Estienne who himself lost his foot in a motorbike accident in 1988, “and if you’ve met Estienne, you’ll know what I mean by 'an unstoppable force of nature'!” she adds. She says her husband has taught her never to use the words “I can’t”.

Arndt has subsequently started a BackaBuddy campaign to assist Wright.

“Through being married to Estienne, I’ve come to realise the importance of a prosthesis and the massive difference it makes to an amputee’s life. The cost of a running prosthesis is exorbitant, but with the assistance of Allan Oates, Estienne’s prosthetist and friend of 30 years, we are going to get Dave a specifically designed prosthesis so that his running can really take off,” she says.

The KAEM, which starts on 20 October, is a “self-sufficient” event over seven days, covering a distance of 250km. The event takes place in the Kalahari desert in the vicinity of the Augrabies Falls on the Orange River. This contrasting environment with average day temperatures reaching over 40°C and dropping to below 5°C at night presents a daunting challenge to the extreme athlete and determined adventurer alike.

At Saturday's Knysna parkrun was, from left, Nadia Arndt, her husband Estienne, and Dave Wright. Photo: Supplied

The organisers supply the participants with overnight camps, water, professional medical backup, sports physios, checkpoints every 8-10km, and an experienced crew who look after the participants' needs. Each participant must carry a list of compulsory equipment, food, clothing and sleeping bag for the duration of the event.