As the leaves begin to fall and the air whips its coolness across the face, wheelchair racers around the globe roll to the starting line for the beginning of the fall racing season.    This ain’t no kiddie sport.  Wheelchair racing is for the serious athlete.  Sure, anyone can hop in a racing chair and take a spin around the block, but unless you have the wind at your back and the lungs for the ride, you will be humbled by the effort.   History Wheelchair racing has been around as long as there have been self-propelled wheelchairs and clear hospital hallways.  Anyone who has spent time in a hospital or rehabilitation center, and most wheelchair users have, knows that the flat, smooth surface of a hospital corridor is the perfect place to test out one’s speed on wheels.  The slick floors provide for a particularly thrilling ride at turns.   For three decades, wheelchair racers have pounded their wheels, careening around corners, barreling down hills, and running through stop signs, all in the name of good, clean fun.

As a sport, official wheelchair racing has led people with disabilities to push farther the limits of their endurance for three decades.  Bob Hall, the father of wheelchair racing, entered the 1975 Boston Marathon in a chunky hospital-style chair, much heavier than those of today, and completed the race in two hours and 58 minutes.   It wasn’t long after that Hall designed the world’s first racing chair, a four-wheeled contraption proving much speedier than the modified hospital chairs athletes had been using.  Sporting push rims, much smaller than the typical chair allowed racers to maintain a high rate of speed, without exerting as much effort as a standard-sized push rim.

The popularity and social acceptance of wheelchair racing blazed across the country and the sport became the first form of wheelchair competition to coincide with nondisabled competitions.   Three-wheeled racers hit the streets in the mid-Eighties, but they were banned from official competition because they were simply too fast.  The lighter, longer chairs offered better stability at higher speeds, as well as other advantages.  It didn’t take long before the three racers received the go ahead from race officials and the days of the four-wheeled racing chair were numbered.   Modern racing chairs, which have had only a few minor changes since the creation of the design, can reach speeds over 20 miles per hour on flat ground and are capable of exceeding 50 miles per hour, traveling downhill.   In recent years, there has been a decline in the popularity of the sport due to the ever-increasing recognition of handcycling.  However, wheelchair racing continues to dazzle and intrigue, exhilarate and strengthen those who pursue it in earnest.   As long as there are wheelchairs users with hearts throbbing for competition, there will be wheelchair races.  Whether it occurs as officially-sanctioned, in a rehab, or in the middle of a street where two friends bet on “who gets there first,” wheelchair racing is here to stay.   Basics   Whether you are looking to race on the track or the road, there is a finish line out there waiting for you.  Many cities across the country host numerous 5k and 10k events, which are perfect for novice and expert racers alike.  And if you’re lucky enough to live in or near a metropolitan area, you are sure to find a marathon (26.2 miles) to push your endurance to the limits.  If you're training in a small town, be prepared for the gathering of a crowd.  Chairs like these are sure to turn heads.

Racing equipment includes the racing wheelchair, gloves, which can be homemade or specially-designed, and a helmet.    This is a bare minimum sport.  All it takes is guts, heart, and plenty of sweat and muscle.  DO NOT think you will be able to get into a racing chair and be instantly transformed into a bloodthirsty competitor.  Like all professional athletes, the world’s top wheelchair racers have trained years to be as fast and able as they are.

The Chairs   Racing wheelchairs are not your everyday, run-of-the-mill wheelchair.  They don’t even look like wheelchairs.  When in a racing chair, you are likely to have non-wheelchair users asking you what in the heck you’re seating in, and most people are floored when they hear it is a wheelchair.   Think of the everyday chair as a pair of cowboy boots and the racing chair as a pair of high-priced running shoes; that’s what a racing chair feels like when you push it.  Weighing in at less than half the weight of the lightest of everyday chairs, it is possible to lift the back end of a racing chair with a pinky finger.   Racers are shaped oblong, have two large wheels in the back, and a small wheel in the front.  The newest design for racers incorporates an extended front wheel while the standard racing chair situates the front wheel more perpendicular to the pavement.  Each racing chair designer, typically the same companies that design everyday chairs, have their own name for the same frame concept.     Racing chairs are a tight fit and should be ordered through a knowledgeable, experienced dealer.  Otherwise, you may find yourself sitting in something that will not only be uncomfortable, but could also cause serious injury.   One thing to consider before contacting a dealer is how you want to sit in the chair.  This has everything to do with the amount of flexibility and range of motion of the individual.  The racing chairs are not easy to get into, but “saddling up” does get easier with practice.

Kneel Position   This seating method situates the person in a kneeling position, with their knees held up into place by a thick, comfortable pad, allowing for a tight fit.  It is the hardest seating position to squeeze into and requires a great deal of flexibility to accomplish, but once you are in, the ride is unparalleled.   Pictured above is the Invacare Top End Eliminator OSR (Retail: $2,672).

Foot Plates   If you’re looking for a racing chair easier to get in and out of, then try the “open-caged” models that use a foot plate.  Rather than cramming your legs up under your lower torso, just slide your feet onto the foot plate and go.  This design is ideal for athletes competing in triathlons.  The most common drawback is the possibility of a foot slipping off the plate.  Some racers will strap their feet down to prevent this from happening.   Pictured here is the Top End Eliminator OSR, I-cage (Retail: $2,672).

Food for Thought   Go for a spin.  Though priced lower than an everyday chair, the aspiring athlete should expect to drop at least $2000 on a new racing chair; therefore it is highly recommended that anyone considering racing as a wheelchair sport first go for a “test drive” to see if it’s the thing for them.      There are a number of organizations providing racing camps for youths and adults.  There are even a few universities that have their own wheelchair racing team.  And if you’re lucky, there may be a progressive wheelchair dealer in your area that carries a demo chair for prospective buyers.  However it happens, you should get in one and take it for a spin.    There are plenty of used racing chairs for sale, put up by people whose impulse purchases make them hundreds of dollars poorer.   Get plenty of training before your first big race.  Ask any dedicated athlete and they will be quick to reveal that most of the participation in the sport is carried out in training.  Be prepared to log many, many miles (at least a hundred, easily) before signing up for your first race.  You’re sure to be blown away off the line at the start if you race against seasoned competitors, but there’s nothing more embarrassing than petering out before a finishing line in front of spectators.   MOST IMPORTANTLY!!!  It is a sad fact that every year or so there is a notice in a wheelchair sports magazine about a wheelchair racer killed on the road during training.  When you’re out there training for that Paralympic gold, keep your head up and be aware of the traffic around you.  A wheelchair will never win a fight with a car.   It’s always a good idea to train with a partner, and it doesn’t have to be another wheelchair racer.  A person on a bike or rollerblades should have no problem keeping up with a wheelchair racer.  But don’t ask a runner to accompany you on your workout, because you’ll go much faster than they can run!   Finally, have fun!  While you’re out there huffing and puffing, racking up the miles, and punching the wheels, remember what you’re pushing for: good health, a sound mind, and a winning personal record for that next big race.             Organizations Wheelchair Sports, USA (WSUSA) 3595 E. Fountain Blvd., Suite L-1 Colorado Springs, CO 80910 Phone: (719) 574-1150 E-mail: wsusa@aol.com Disabled Sports USA (DS/USA) 451 Hungerford Drive Suite 100 Rockville, MD 20850 Phone: (301) 217-0960 Wheelchair Athletics of the USA/Wheelchair Track and Field USA 2351 Parkwood Road Snellville, GA 30278 Phone: (770) 972-0763 Fax: 770-985-4885 E-mail: bewing@bellsouth.ne       © 2005 J Carlton Media LLC

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