I trained with a handcyclist who was just getting started, he would later go on to win the Canadian Marathon championship. He let me take his race bike for a spin, it only took me twice as long as it did him for a 5k (and I had to get out and walk up a hill). I don't see any able bodied athlete hanging with the elite wheelchair racers over a maraton
as a general point, I used to see a lot of paralympic athletes through a job I had and close to 100% of them described people who weren't eligible for the paralympics as 'able bodied' Double negatives are silly when there's a clearer alternative.
Just to set the record straight the correct term is not able-bodied it is non-disabled or in this case non wheelchair user. The term able-bodied is now considered a bit offensive and ableist.
Why does this bother you? They didn't reduce the prize money for the overall male and female finishers - they just made the wheelchair prize money equal.
It bothers Republicans because it’s “woke” or something. They don’t like it when someone gets paid more money for winning a race. They grumble and they grimace and complain that the world might treat wheelchair athletes with the same respect.
Wokeness gone crazy. When they can and or could do a couple of “marathons” per week this is ridiculous. Not even on the same planet - demeaning to real marathoners
Definition of disabled: (of a person) having a physical or mental condition that limits movements, senses, or activities:
Someone could claim to be terrified of running in streets. A doctor could say he is disabled. Do they make stationary wheelchairs? Someone could just sit at home training in that instead of a bike or elliptical.
There are rollers, similar to stationary trainers for bicycles, that the race chair can be used indoors. A great tool for working on cadence and stroke form.
@what's the problem? will you be at Mt Sac in March? good to see other para athletes and fans posting here.
@roller answers troller - No, I won't be at Mt Sac. I'm in my 50s and only an amputee for 2 years, but a lifelong runner and ran D1 track and cross country way back in the day. I'm toying with trying to qualify for Boston. Ironically, I interned with the 96 Paralympic Organizing Committee and I've had an interested in para athletics since then.
Can an able-bodied person compete in the wheelchair race?
Of course not. It’s for disabled people.
Women's sports if for women but they allow men to compete. Women's/Little girls bathrooms and locker rooms are for women and little girls but they allow men to use.
Women's sports if for women but they allow men to compete. Women's/Little girls bathrooms and locker rooms are for women and little girls but they allow men to use.
You may not like it, but transgender participation is legal so long as certain rules are followed. An able-bodied(?) body person cannot compete in the wheelchair division.
Why does this bother you? They didn't reduce the prize money for the overall male and female finishers - they just made the wheelchair prize money equal.
the problem is it's woke. the wheelchair races are not as competitive, they shouldn't have the same prize money to beat 100 other people as the marathoners have to beat 10000+.
Just to set the record straight the correct term is not able-bodied it is non-disabled or in this case non wheelchair user. The term able-bodied is now considered a bit offensive and ableist.
Can I just flip the script here for a second? Wheelchair racing is nothing like running. They are using their arms and it is extremely anaerobic for good portions of the longer races. Again, I think this sport should be viewed as its own sport, not an alternative for running. It is more similar to cycling.
Why don't we take the woke/political tone out of this discussion and ask why they keep trying to align it with large running races. They don't do that with cycling races, so why marathons? Again, stop treating these athletes like broken runners. They may have a disability, but they aren't broken runners. Plus, this is a very tough athletic endeavor regardless of whether you are disabled or not. I think they SHOULD let able bodied people in the races. These athletes aren't scared of you. Losing a limb or being born without the use of your legs doesn't make you a nancy. It makes you tougher. Give them more money and give them more respect by giving them their own competitions that aren't sidecar events and open up the competition.
I also think it is weird that some of you are saying that able bodied people can't do this because it is hard. Of course it is hard. You need to train for it. These guys train daily. Why would you think that you could just jump in a chair and be as good? Do you think you can just jump in a squat cage and lift as much as Olympic lifters? Odd thinking IMHO...