St Michael’s House service users train for triathlon

A DETERMINED group of disabled athletes from St Michael’s House are taking part in a unique 40 kilometre triathlon next week in order to raise funds for their own sensory room.

The eight brave service users will cycle 29km, run 10.5km and swim for 500 metres between them during the event that takes place at Ballymun Sports and Fitness Centre on Wednesday, August 27 from 10am-2pm.

Staff at St Michael’s House believe it’s the first event of its kind, where service users actually embark on a fundraising drive for themselves.

“We were discussing ways to finance a new sensory room when we decided that instead of us going out and fundraising like we normally do that we’d ask the lads if they’d like to fundraise themselves,

? senior supervisor Adrian D’Arcy told Northside People.

“It’s really unique. We ran the idea by loads of different people and nobody has come across it before.

?

Eight service users signed up for an intensive supervised 18-week training plan to help them achieve their goal and they’re now almost ready for next week’s challenge.

And the budding athletes – who have a range of disabilities including Down Syndrome, autism and mild intellectual disability – have proved they’re more than capable of taking on the triathlon challenge.

With strong support from family, friends and staff at Ballymun Sports and Fitness Centre they’ve increased their fitness levels and are looking forward to testing themselves to the limit next week.

“It’s worked out really well,

? said Adrian.

“We’re on week 15 of the training programme and they haven’t missed a week.

“They’re using the bikes and treadmills in the gym, starting off on 20 minutes and now they’re up to 35 minutes. They’re really enjoying everything about it, even just going into the gym with their own membership cards and meeting people and the staff up there in Ballymun who are just so good to them.

“They were really keen on the idea from the start. They love being out and about in the community and that’s one of the things we focus on here. Interacting and integrating into the community is part of the St Michael’s House policy and they were all for it.

?

The main aim of the triathlon is to fundraise money for a sensory room at Solas Support Centre; a St Michaels House day service for adults with intellectual disabilities.

But training for the event has also highlighted the ability of service users to overcome challenges they may face. Over the past four months they’ve learned how to exercise safely, make good use of their environment and interact with other people in the community and it’s given them a real sense of value in performing a social role by fundraising money for St Michaels House.

The eight service users taking part in the event are Sean, Richard, Terri, Maria, Brona, Leanne, Patricia and Stephen. The triathlon at Ballymun Sports and Leisure Centre will be a fun day event with a DJ and service users and staff are hoping the local community will come out and support them on their big day.

?¢ To make a donation visit mycharity.ie/event/ability_2_tri.