An international triathlete who had to leave the sport following a life-threatening accident before the 2012 Olympics is launching her new fitness trend in Chester.
Charlotte Roach, a former Christleton High School student, and her mum Chris, a teacher at The Firs School , are inviting people to join them at Lime Wood playing fields in Newton on Saturday (March 12) to try out Rabble.
Rabble is a remix of old school games and now includes British Bulldogs, Capture the Flag, The Hunger Games and more to help people get fit without realising it.
Charlotte, originally of Hoole , was 21 when she was run over by a Land Rover after falling off her bike during a training ride.
While her bike escaped with barely a scratch, Charlotte suffered broken ribs, two punctured lungs, 12 broken vertebrae and a snapped collarbone.
She would have died had it not been for the intervention of Julie Hayton, a passer-by who was flagged down by Charlotte’s training colleagues close to the accident scene.
Luckily for Charlotte, Julie was the rehabilitation physiotherapist for Premiership rugby club Leicester Tigers – and her quick thinking and expertise saved the stricken Chester athlete.
Speaking to the Chronicle at the time Charlotte said: “I was unaware of the seriousness of my injuries.
“My lungs were filling with fluid and I was drowning from the inside. Julie had to decide whether to risk paralysing me by sitting me up or risk me drowning by leaving me. She sat me up and I am grateful she did.”
Charlotte was eventually airlifted to Derby Hospital for surgery.
“It was a race against time,” she said. “But afterwards the doctors told me I only survived due to my large lung capacity and large heart, which are a result of my training, and the actions of Julie.”
Get your first three Rabble sessions free
Roach started Rabble in January 2014 as a trial one-off session, and has now grown to more than 20 games per week across London and Manchester with over 800 participants per month.
If you would like to try Rabble, Chris will be leading a session at Lime Wood playing fields in Newton, on Saturday, March 12, starting at 11am. Newcomers will be invited to take up three free sessions.
To qualify for the free trial quote code RABBLE3NORTH on the website www.joinrabble.com .
