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Mr Midgely began using a wheelchair following a motorcycle accident in 2005 when he was 21.<\/p>\n
He said he participated in the Rip to River to challenge himself, as well as for the excuse to be \u201coutside, active and an inspiration to others\u201d.<\/p>\n
\u201cYou\u2019ve got to have a go,\u201d he said. \u201cIt feels good.\u201d<\/p>\n
He heard about the Rip to River event through Geelong Adaptive Sports, where he plays wheelchair tennis.<\/p>\n
Mr Midegly said wheelchair \u201crunning\u201d was hard on the hands and arms, but while the uphill sections were challenging, the downhill parts offered the ability to coast.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe legs have bigger muscles than the arms, so it\u2019s a bit harder in a wheelchair,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
\u201cPeople are so helpful and kind on the events, though, and they offer to push you uphill. I always say no, thinking that would technically be cheating.\u201d<\/p>\n
Ocean Grove SLSC vice president of operations Bruce Honey said the changes in 2021 meant those who would usually work behind the scenes to help set up the event had no excuse but to get involved and run the race.<\/p>\n
\u201cThanks to the virtual format, this means club members and their friends and family based interstate and overseas can join in for the first time and race those back home in Ocean Grove.\u201d<\/p>\n
The Rip to River cost $10 to enter and is normally Ocean Grove SLSC’s biggest annual fundraiser, but the club was not expecting a large return this year.
\nInstead, the club encouraged people to focus on the enjoyment and participation as a great way to begin 2021 and put the difficulties of the previous year behind them.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
FOR the first time in its more than 41-year history, Ocean Grove Surf Life Saving Club\u2019s main fundraising event, the Rip to River, was run virtually. The race – which opened its event window on December 26 and closed it on Friday last week (January 8) – also had new categories this year for people […]<\/p>\n