Each year from the starting line, we witness amazing athletes, from runners to wheelchair racers, in action. This marks the 6th year for The Cooper River Bridge Run’s Wheelchair Division, a separate race with its own loyal volunteers and sponsors, including the Bridge Run Executive Committee, Achieving Wheelchair Equality, Roper Rehabilitation Hospital and local medical equipment companies.

Wheelchair racing is an elite sport. Not every disabled person has the capability or desire to race. This level of racing requires extreme dedication and training, but it comes with its rewards. Men and women alike participate in this sport as a means of achieving fitness, a healthy lifestyle, competition and, lastly, financial rewards. Elite athletes are recruited from all over the world. Krige Schabort, from South Africa, is our course record holder with a time of 23:48, and Santiago Sanz, from Spain, holds the quad division record of 26:09. Racers from Canada to Mexico join us every year.

Their equipment is more expensive than the world’s best running shoes, and training for a wheelchair racer is on par that of a serious runner.

Upon researching this topic, I consulted an expert, my friend and racer Michael Mills from Atlanta.

“I train a little different for each race that I do. Right now, I have planned about 8 to 12 events for the entire year...I am currently training on a 3 days on/1 day off, 2 days on/1 day off routine. This routine, gives me time to do all my training, spend time with my family and recover. This is difficult with a fulltime job, 2 children, and a wife, but I wouldn’t change it for the world. This gives me structure and a routine that I follow to a “T”! This helps me stay focused on my training and I know in advance to what I have to do on a daily basis. This also gives me training to reach my goals.

My typical day starts at 5:00 a.m. with heart rate monitoring and pre-workout supplements.

By 5:30 I’m in my racer preparing for a small workout, that consists of 3 minute sprints at 90% effort followed by a minute of rest. I complete six sets.

Working out breaks down your body, so to keep healthy, I follow my workouts with supplements and a recovery shakes.

I start my normal work day at 7:00 a.m. and enjoy my second meal (breakfast) around 7:30. Generally this consists of egg whites, Kashi cereal without milk, and a low carb/high protein shake. I continue to graze on small healthy meals throughout the day. My favorites include homemade protein bars (since I want to know what’s in my bars), lean meats and veggies. I also check my resting heart rate throughout the day.

Depending on the day, my afternoon workout could be power lifting at the gym or a long steady ‘run’ ranging from 15-25K at an average of 85 to 90% effort.

During the evening, I enjoy my seventh healthy meal with my family, I check my heart rate again and I’m in bed by 9:00 p.m.

Right now, this is my typical day. I get up, train, eat, work, eat, train, eat, rest, and repeat… for 5 days a week.”

Micheal averages 60-80 miles per week in his chair, racing through a course of local neighborhood roads and streets with twists, turns, and blind curves. He has to dodge traffic like any runner around Charleston, and because he is at a low line of sight, he wears bright reflective colors.

Road training is dangerous. All racers have to be ever so viligant for their safety. Some athletes have been known to add a flag to their chairs to increase visability. But I imagine the thrill of danger, not only the adrenaline of exercise, entices them risk their lives each day while training on the streets.

To balance my article, I needed a runner’s comparison. My expert is Tyler Cross, a USATF Running Coach and NSCA-CPT Personal Trainer. Tyler coaches a running clinic every January for those that are preparing for the Bridge Run and reports his training routine is similar to Michaels’.

“3 days a week of running training with a day of rest or cross training between. Those 3 days are quality training consisting of a 20-40 minute tempo run at 85% sustained intensity, a half mile interval run at a fast “race pace” intensity and a long steady pace run. I gradually increase my distance as I train for a race.”

I asked Tyler about running distances compared to a wheelchair racer’s distances. “A runner’s weekly training mileage is individualized, 20-50 miles for a 5K/10K runner and 50-80 miles for a half marathon plus runner.”

Similarities between wheelchair racers and runners extend past training into warmup and recovery. Race day brings both groups to Coleman Blvd as they prepare, and according to Michael a typical warm up consists of “upper body stretches and a two-mile push.”

Once the race is over, runners and wheelchair racers rehydrate, rest and refresh alike. Appearance aside refreshing is a critical step to a wheelchair racer’s recovery. While racing, their body temperature significantly drops as they perspire, even on a hot day, and a dry change of clothes assures they regain body heat. Plus it makes them fresh and clean for the awards ceremony.

Although the wheelchair division is a small part of the Cooper River Bridge Run experience, it is a big part of the Charleston community. The wheelchair division opens minds by demonstrating that people with disabilities can still achieve a high level of recreation and fitness as part of a healthy lifestyle. The division breaks through walls of prejudice and judgement.

Michael’s perspective echos that of any person trying to achieve a healthy lifestyle. “ I am feeling better and more confident that I train and live this way than ever before. It is a way of life and I love it. I feel I am going to be around for my family for many years with this type of lifestyle.”

The level of athleticism is awesome and astounding! These elite guys and gals train long and hard to be able to push a racing chair for many miles. It is their passion, their drive and dream...as it may be yours to conquer the bridge—this race. So, the next time you see a wheelchair athlete or racer, ask them about their training stratedgies. You both may have something to share!

Like runners and wheelchair racers, we all are similar, in training and in life. We train for those things we want to achieve, and we adapt to the environment we live in as it changes. So stay active, be healthy and make the most of life! Each day is a gift no matter if you walk on two feet or roll down the highway.