Reflection on the Experiences of Wheelchair Marathoners

After reading two chapters about Paul Erway, who is a wheelchair marathoner, I have a better understanding of wheelchairs and also marathons that include people who have disabilities. 

Miami, Florida:

The first chapter I read was about the marathon that took place in Miami, Florida. I was truly inspired by this chapter. The organization that sponsors the race in Miami each year has a mission statement where they aim to allow people with all kinds of disabilities to be able to participate in athletics. Before reading this chapter, I was very under-educated about people with disabilities and their involvement in athletics. It never really came to my mind how important this may be for some of the people who have disabilities. They deserve the chance to be able to participate in whatever they want. I think it is truly inspiring that there are races specifically for people with disabilities. This allows them to have the same opportunities as people who do not have disabilities. 

One key takeaway, or something that stood out to me from this chapter was how excited Paul Erway was to be able to meet Sabrina Cohen. Sabrina Cohen has a mission to help people who have disabilities to improve their fitness and quality of life. Paul mentioned how inspired he was to meet someone with a mission that he strongly believed in. He said that they are bonded due to having the same interest in helping others with disabilities. He also mentioned one of Sabrinas goals that inspired him. She has a goal to make the beaches assessable for everyone. This part of the chapter stood out to me because it showed how two people with the same interests and goals can inspire one another. It shows how two people who do not even know each other can connect based on similar ideas and passions. 

Another thing that stood out to me in this chapter was the volunteers. Paul talked about how there were volunteers everywhere throughout his whole trip asking if they needed help. He spoke very highly of the organization that put on this race. Most of this was due to the people involved in helping with the race. They had people all throughout the race in case anyone needed assistance. He also mentioned how they were fortunate enough to have vehicle escorts to the start of the race. It warms my heart to know that so many people volunteer to help out with events that include people with disabilities. It makes me happy to know that people are willing to take time out of their lives to help people who have disabilities. 

Davenport, Iowa: 

In this chapter, Paul talks about marathon #49. He starts the chapter off by talking about how reality has set in that his goal to complete the challenge in a certain amount of time was not going to be met. The race in Davenport, Iowa was not a very enjoyable race. Paul did not end up doing this race but his friend Grant completed it. This race had very low moral due to it being freezing outside and there was little to no one there to encourage or support them. In this chapter Paul includes a behind the scenes section. One thing that stood out to me in this section was how much effort is put into these races. Paul talks about how so much goes into it such as training, expenses, and personal sacrifice. I did not realize how much effort it takes to be able to do something like this. Another thing that stood out to me was how along with effort, Paul talked about the disappointment that comes with not succeeding and meeting your goals. I can not imagine the disappointment that he must have been feeling when he did not succeed or race how he wanted to. I have never been as dedicated as he is to something or put that much work or effort into something. I can not even imagine doing a marathon at this stage in my life, let alone doing a marathon in a wheelchair. Reading about Paul's experiences has shown me how strong and dedicated he must have been to be able to do all of this with a physical disability 

Another thing that stood out to me was the quote that was included at the end of the chapter. The quote reads "When we tackle obstacles, we find hidden reserves of courage and resilience we did not know we had. And it is only when we are faced with failure do we realize that these resources were always there within us. We only need to find them and move on with our lives" -A.P.J Abdul Kalam

I feel that this quote greatly relates to this chapter. This quote talks about how during obstacles, people find courage and resilience that they didn't even know they had. I feel like this quote does a good job explaining failure and how it can actually be beneficial. I feel like Paul included this quote to show that even though it is disappointing to not meet your goals and to fail, it is still beneficial for your self growth. I think a lot of people who are disabled may feel disappointed in themselves from time to time. This quote is a good reminder that it is okay to fail. 

References 

Erway, P. (2017). 50 abilities, unlimited possibilities: Wheeling through 50 states from Jackson to the boston marathon bombing. Silver Tree Publishing. 

Erway, P. (2019). 50 abilities, unlimited possibilities: racing to the final finish line from salt lake city to the mountain of montana. Silver Tree Publishing.