It’s exactly one month today since my hip replacement. Thirty days since the moment I woke up in a hospital bed thinking, “Right, now what?” The first question that came to mind was, “Can I walk?” — which I quickly answered by nearly fainting on my first attempt. Humbling doesn’t quite cover it.

This past weekend, I took part in an endurance training camp in Khorfakkan, UAE—swimming, biking, and running alongside a group of passionate and committed people. But the real purpose behind it had nothing to do with triathlon.