Owen Pick is a soldier who lost a leg in Afghanistan and is now a snowboard sensation… He tried out the sport after being discharged from the Army and within 18 months got ranked in the top ten.
His skills and daredevil spirit have made him a prime contender for the Winter Paralympics and helped banish the tragedy of his fateful tour of duty in Afghanistan. “I’d never skied in my life until I was looking for something to try as part of my resettlement package from the Army,” he said. “I tried snowboarding and loved it – it has just progressed from there. I’m delighted and a bit surprised with how well it’s going.”
Owen, a former Army cadet, stepped on an IED while on patrol as an 18 year-old. “We’d been under fire all day and got the order to assault a compound after a firefight… I took a step, there was a big explosion and that was the last I remember. It blew me 10 feet in the air and 15 feet back… It sucks, of course, at first and there are days when I just wish I could have my leg back. But there is nothing I can do about it and I have this saying that ‘if you don’t laugh, you’ll cry’ and that helps me through.”
Owen is now ranked 3rd in the world. He has at least two silver medals from World Championships, along with the prestigious Crystal Globe title. But his ambition is not restricted to personal performance. “I’m keen to get any injured people on skis or snowboarding, and that goes for kids and adults,” he said. “There’s not a lot of sporting opportunities for disabled kids. It’s important to give them a chance.”
“I do it because I love it. If I can get people out there skiing or snowboarding, out in the mountains, and am enjoying what I do then that is great.”
Location: Red Lodge, Suffolk, United Kingdom
Favorite Exercise: Strength training
Favorite Healthy Snack: Oranges
Favorite Way to Center: Snowboarding
Personal Motto: Stay positive, no matter what happens.
Daily Routine:
- 8 AM – Breakfast
- 8:30 AM – Snowboard
- 12 PM – Lunch
- 1 PM – Snowboard
- 4 PM – Gym
- 6 PM – Dinner & Relax
What gets you out of bed every morning?
Knowing that I am going to get better at snowboarding and learn something new.
What is the most important part of your daily routine?
Most important part of my day is breakfast. If I don’t have a good start to the day then the rest is a struggle.
What wellness result are you most proud of?
The fact that I do all of this with one leg, as I just lost it a few years ago.
Whose “O” would you most love to see?
Owen Pick
Mark McMorris’ O because he just kills it in every competition and is so cool about it all.
What is your favorite part about living a healthy lifestyle?
Just waking up feeling amazing, and how other people comment on how you look.
If you could give one piece of health advice, what would it be?
Just do it. Don’t complain about feeling tired or unwell, just make one change at a time. Because you are the only person that can do that.. and why wouldn’t you want to live a healthier lifestyle.
Originally published June 15, 2016