Shin Kicking Champion
By Norman Croucher.
Barrie and Jenkins,
London, 1971


NO MEAN FEAT

Shin Kicking Champion came from an op shop for 50 cents - a good example of life's random finds. Norman Croucher lost both legs at 19 by drunkenly sleeping on a train track. Back in 1960 there were no Oscar Pistorious carbon fibre spring leg thingies so Norman was given tin legs. Suitable for the traditional miners' sport of shin kicking.

After working with homeless people in 1960's London he then decided to walk the UK equivalent of Te Araroa: by road from Land's end to John O'Groats. I like Norman's philosophy on training.
“I made only one short practice walk of about two miles...to ascertain my walking pace, which turned out to be not much over two miles an hour [3.2km/hr].

Apart from the time trial I did not train at all, because I was afraid that if I knew how painful a ten mile journey would be my confidence would be undermined. If one ten mile walk hurt a great deal, ninety such walks in a row would tend to be a discouraging prospect.”
p188
Having become the first double amputee to walk the length of Britain, Norman became a mountain climber. If you only have stumps to walk on, do it in the cold weather there's less swelling. Since this book was published in 1971 he has climbed over 100 peaks including the world's 6th highest at over 8000m.

People ask me about training for Te Araroa. This is my reply. If one is embarking on an epic journey there is no way to really prepare for the physical assault. Many say it is best to train on the trail. Why get stress fractures from walking too much now? I know we are capable of walking 25km and of carrying a pack for 9 hours, so now we just put the two together, day after day after day.

During our trek, when I am struggling with a heavy pack or sore feet I will remember that Norman walked without feet on bleeding swollen stumps.

Whiona
You could be a shin kicking champion with your tin legs, but you will never be able to climb. You're a cripple – and that's that.
Picture
Norman Croucher when he wrote the book.
Picture
Norman Croucher, 2013.
Photo courtesy Matt Austin

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