Beth Monks

A new chapter… a new beginning…

Favourite Alpkit products:
Hoodies and down jackets – still as warm and cushy as ever – with some even cooler colours & designs.

Significant or memorable achievements:
Looking back now on my climbing life I’ll never forget any of it! Whether I was achieving anything or not…Favourite memories include the many competitions I participated in over years, the awesome friends I made and the places I travelled to. The atmosphere at comps was something I always loved. I also buzzed on being outdoors on sport routes in beautiful places…’climbing paradises’, such as hot and sunny Kalymnos - it really must be visited by any sane sport climber!

But one of my most significant achievements now has been to overcome and accept a new part of my life – the wheelchair! Since breaking my neck in a car accident in May 2009 and suffering a spinal cord injury which has resulted in paralysis from the chest down, I’ve been viewing life from a totally new and different perspective. After the initial shock of not being able to climb anymore I started to think about the things I can still do…

Upcoming projects:
My dad being the crazy enthusiast that he is really helped me motivate myself to get excited about trying new things…

I recently got in contact with a guy about starting ‘wheelchair rugby’ or as the Americans call it, ‘murderball’ (youtube it)! I watched the GB cup of this surprisingly vicious game while I was still in hospital. Whilst being quite terrified by how violent it actually was I was also incredibly impressed with how fit, skilled, strong, powerful and determined you had to be to play it. Wheelchair rugby is meant specifically for tetraplegics and I think it will be something I get into to get myself strong again. Also, talking to the guys who play it made me realise how much I miss the training and competition side of things… because really, most sports seem similar in the sense that they usually have great social scenes and involve training, travelling and competitions.

Another potential sport I will be trying when it gets a tad warmer is sailing. I have little, if any, knowledge of sailing. However I’ve learnt that it’s meant to be the best set up sport for disability. It sounds great – relaxing as well as exciting and it takes you places… my dad seems to have his heart set on a ‘weta’ trimaran already! Apparently it’s uncapsizable… but I’m not convinced! I’m just not so keen on the idea of falling out and not being able to swim/move! But when I think about it, climbing poses similar fears for beginners…who really isn’t daunted by the fear of falling off initially?! It’s just something to get over. I’ve also been inspired by Geoff Holt’s book, ‘Walking On Water’.

Other ‘projects’ include trying gliding (in a glider plane! – this scares me a little at the thought of flying without an engine! But sounds awesome – my aunt and uncle bought me a lesson for xmas!) and paragliding. I also want to try handcycling, skiing and kayaking.

At the moment I’m thinking about where I could go for a break abroad possibly. When I own an awesome Boma wheelchair I look forward to some off-roading fun and some camping before heading to Sheffield uni to study English in September.

But whatever I do with my time I’ll always try transfer the same positive, focussed and determined attitude I learnt from my time as a climber.

Et cetera:
All in all, whatever life throws at you, life is still about going nice places and doing good things.

My Links

• British Climbing Team