英國高位截癱孕婦戴仿生設備跑完半程馬拉松

Taking five days to complete a half-marathon may not seem impressive.

用五天時間跑完半程馬拉松似乎並不讓人印象深刻。

That is, until you learn the woman who did it is paralyzed from the chest down and 16 weeks pregnant.

但是當你獲悉這是一名懷孕16周、胸部以下高位截癱的孕婦之後，一切就不一樣了。

Claire Lomas began the Great North Run in northeast England last Wednesday and finished last Sunday afternoon.

克萊爾·洛馬斯上週三在英國北部"大北方長跑"比賽中出發，於上週日下午完成了比賽。

The 36-year-old Lomas averaged 3 miles a day using a "bionic suit" that helped her move and lift her legs during the marathon, according to the BBC.

據英國廣播公司報道，36歲的洛馬斯利用一套"仿生學套裝"幫助她在馬拉松比賽中擡腿和移動，平均每天可以跑3英里。

"It's taken some learning. It's not just physical work, it's the concentration with every step," she said. "It doesn't just walk for me. I have to use the parts that aren't paralyzed to make it walk."

她對此表示："這要學習一段時間。這不僅僅是體力活動，每一步都要集中精力。對我來說不僅僅是行走。我需要運用沒有癱瘓的所有部位來讓自己動起來。"

Lomas was paralyzed from the chest down after a horseback riding accident in 2007.

在2007年一次墜馬事故之後，洛馬斯胸部以下都癱瘓了。

Despite the challenges she's faced as a result, Lomas believes people with spinal injuries should stay as active as possible.

雖然最後她要面對很多挑戰，但是洛馬斯認爲，有脊椎損傷的人也應該儘可能動起來。

"It's good for your health, anyway, whether you are an active person or not," she told the Guardian.

她在接受《衛報》採訪時表示："不管怎樣，這都對你的健康有好處，不管你是不是健康人。"

Lomas made the walk with the help of a robotic exoskeleton that she purchased after raising around $66,000.

洛馬斯全程的行走都藉助一套機械體外骨骼，這套裝置是她籌了近66000美元之後購買的。

The suit, made by ReWalk Robotics of Israel, uses lightweight braces and a series of sensors so users can rotate joints and control movement with their upper body, according to .

據BT網站報道，該裝置由以色列ReWalk機器人公司製造，使用了輕型支架和一系列傳感器，這樣使用者就可以利用上身轉動關節、控制行走。

This isn't the first time Lomas has competed using the exoskeleton. In 2012, she also walked the London marathon and finished in 16 days, according to Slate.

這不是洛馬斯第一次藉助體外骨骼參加體育比賽了。據"石板書"網站報道，在2012年，洛馬斯用16天走完了倫敦馬拉松。