Racing: Wheelchairs That Speed Through The Competition
Racing in wheelchairs has been around for a long time. For decades now, those confined to a wheelchair have tested the limits when it comes to speeding through the streets as fast as your chair will take you, all in the effort to get adrenaline pumping. The first person to race a wheelchair was Bob Hall when he entered the 1975 Boston Marathon in a hospital-style chair and completed the race in two hours and 58 minutes. Soon after, Hall created the first ever-known racing wheel chair. His creation consisted of a wheel chair with four wheels, which was faster than modified hospital wheelchairs athletes had been using since the sport was invented. The chair had smaller push rims than typical wheelchairs, which allowed racers to maintain a higher speed, without wasting as much effort.
Soon, those that raced in wheelchair races gained a huge following and social acceptance and the sport became the first competition to be consider on the same level as nondisabled sports. As the sport grew more popular with fans, so did the demand for faster wheelchairs. In the mid-Eighties, a three-wheeled version was introduced, but was banned from the sport for being too fast. This type of wheelchair offered better stability at higher speeds because of its lighter, longer design. Eventually, three-wheeled wheelchairs were allowed into official competition and a new generation of racers waived bye to the old, four-wheeled wheelchairs.
For those who are confined to a wheelchair and think the sport is as easy as just strapping yourself into a racer and competing, think again. Those that professionally race in wheelchair races are fierce and well trained. It takes a huge amount of endurance and arm strength to compete well in wheelchair racing. Moreover, a racing wheelchair is fairly expensive. This type of wheelchair can range from two to three thousand dollars and is probably is not affordable for those of you not committed to racing in professional competition. This cost also does not include all the customizing options that are available for a racing wheelchair.
Wheelchair races have taken a bit of a decline in recent years with the advent of the handcycle. Unlike a wheelchair used in a race, the riders have hand peddles in-place of a bikes steering wheel, that are used to propel the person forward. In spite of this new type of machine, those committed have not stopped racing in their wheelchairs to continue pushing themselves to the limit. A huge benefit to entering a wheelchair race is the health aspect of the activity. People confined to wheelchairs can get a huge amount of exercise from competing in the sport or in marathons. Those that enter in wheelchair races, maintain better stamina and physical strength than those that don't get much exercise. This has a huge impact on the weight gain that can occur with people who need a wheelchair. Therefore, if you want to get into good shape and have a lot of fun doing it, you might want to consider wheelchair racing.
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