Trying to break into wheelchair racing

[cruiserkb]

Hello all,

I have been strugiling with MS since 1994 and have been in a wheelchair permantly since June of last year. I competed in the PF Chang's Split Half maraton with my son this past January. I was a member of the MS Rockstars team. We did very well dispite me getting stuck on the bus at the split gate for 15 minuits. The wheelchair lift broke while I was on the lift half way down. I competed in a stripped down hospital chair that weighed 40 lbs. I am starting gather the funds to purchase a specialized racing chair. I plan to compete with the AZDS in track events ranging from 100 to 10,000 m. I also plan on partisipating in half, and full maratons in the wheelchair division. I would love to get to a point that I can compete in triatholons.

I am aplying for a few grants to offset some of the cost. I have a few other fundraising ideas in play but it will take some time to raise the funds. I am looking into renting a chair so I can train untill the custom one can be made. This may by dificult since the chairs are custom made to fit that individual person. I will continue with my regular workout for now.

I will keep everone up to date as to the progress of my mission. Thanks for your time.

[cruiserkb]

Well I have been doing my normal home routine lately. I spend around 1 to 2 hours sitting on the floor in front of a recumbant exersise bike using in a hand bike configuration. I usual do this when I first wake up. In the afternoon I do a weight workout with free weights, therabands and hand putty. This usual lasts around an hour depending on the day. I have also been swimming alot of laps at the public pool. I like this the best because to the neutral boyency in the the water ( no pressure points ). I usualy spend around 45 min. swimming laps. I am slowly building up my endurance and lengt to time swimming. I am awaiting on a cutom piece of equiplent to allow me to do dips and pullups directly from the floor. I am submiting my first grant aplication next week to help with the cost of the racing chair. Please keep your fingers crosed for me so that the outcome will be positive. Thanks alot. Kevan

[cruiserkb]

I spoke to the director of the AZDS this morning at length. I will be renting a hand cycle for the next two months.I have to show that I am physicaly able to get into a racing chair before I can rent one. The price was reasonable at $30 a month. They want me to join their distance cycling team that starts competing in Aug. I will probably train with the bike on a local highschool track just for saftey reasons at first until I get used to the bike. I will then start road training.

If anyone would like to donate to my wheelchair fund you can contact me at k.brininger@aol.com . Every little bit will help me further my cause to bring awareness to the public about the efects of MS. Thanks

[AMFADVENTURES]

Kevan,
I wish you luck on getting the racing wheel chair. Pushing a 40 lb. chair would have to be a lot like riding a 40 lb. Bike. Cutting 20 lbs. off should make a huge difference.

Impressive that you can do that at all, good luck,

AMF

[cruiserkb]

Kevan,
I wish you luck on getting the racing wheel chair. Pushing a 40 lb. chair would have to be a lot like riding a 40 lb. Bike. Cutting 20 lbs. off should make a huge difference.

Impressive that you can do that at all, good luck,

AMF

Thanks for the kind words. I am picking up the hand bike today. I will see how the training goes. My fundraising for the race chair is still on going but I hope I can get cleared to rent one soon so I can start traing for a marathon in next January. I will keep everyone posted as to my status.

[cruiserkb]

Well I picked up my rental handcycle today. It tool about 2 hours to get it adjusted close enough that I could use it. I still have some fine tuning to do to get the most out of it. This thing is fast, 27 gears and only 2" off the ground. I signed up for the distance team and they would like me to train to compete in the Tour De Tuson with the coach. Looks like I have another goal now!I pan on going to the track this evening to make the final adgustments and get a few miles under my belt.

[cruiserkb]

I did it! I rode the first six miles that I have ridden in over 2 1/2 years. I actualy got to wear a bike helmet for it's intended purpose, not just for when my wife thaught I would fall over and hurt myself. I have ridden a bike since I was 3. My father would not take off my training wheels and teach me to ride. So one day I took them off myself and spent the next two weeks falling over in the grass till I masterd it. From that point on I was always on a bike. I did everything you can think of on a BMX bike when I was younger. In highschool I progresed into road bikes. It was not uncomon for you to find me riding 200 miles on a weekend. I have done a few 2 week long rides down the coat in Mexico. I naturaly transitioned into mountain bikes and did alot of freeriding. I then came full circle and was riding a 24" BMX cruiser. That was the last foot pedal bike I have ever rode. It felt great to be able to ride again. I know that it will take time to be able to gain the distance I need but if I add a few miles every few days I am sure I can get there. It takes a few specialized muscles in the arms, shoulder and back other than those for pushing a wheelchair, so I will have to work on developing those as well. I beleive that I am the only member of the AZDS that has MS. I am out there for all of us not just for me!

[AMFADVENTURES]

Cruiser, I'll be doing the Tour de Tucson this year, we'll have to meet up!

Larry

[cruiserkb]

Cruiser, I'll be doing the Tour de Tucson this year, we'll have to meet up!

Larry

That would be great. What distance are you doing? I would love to set a goal of the full 111 but I don't think I can get through the river crossings.

[AMFADVENTURES]

That would be great. What distance are you doing? I would love to set a goal of the full 111 but I don't think I can get through the river crossings.

Kevan, you're probably right, the second arroyo is particularly hard because of about a quarter of a mile of uneven ankle deep sand. I have thought about finding a way to ride around that one myself.

I'm sure I'll sign up for the 111 mile course, DD wouldn't let me do anything less, whether I make it or not is another question. Besides, I love that handle bar to handle bar start with 6,000 other riders that you only get with the long course. I'll look for the guy with the hand cranks but regardless, we can always meet in the beer garden after.

Larry

[cruiserkb]

Lary,

I believe that there will be about 6 of us and they usualy start the hand cycles in the front. Only a few of us are doing the 60. Once I get into the rythm of this hand cycle I will see how far I can push myself. If I feel like I can make the 110 mile I will push the organizers to find some way to get me across. I will even get into a wheelbarrow and drag the cycle if I have to. The AZDS is allowing my 16 year old son to train with us. He is actyaly my saftey rider. He gives me comands on turning and breaking while riding behind me. They may even sponser him in the race as well. We will have to see.

The beer garden sounds great! I might realy need it in the end.

[cruiserkb]

Well after a few phone calls I was able to get my son a road bike to ride. I borrowed it from my brother and we adjusted it to fit him now. We have been riding about 14 miles each day. Now we are going to start leapfrogging to build up the miles. Here is the pattern that we will follow. 14,12,16,14,18,16,20 and so on. I used to do this when I was younger and it worked fairly well. We are going to have to start riding in the morning with the temp outside at 113F at 4:30pm. My real training begins in Aug.

I got confomation that my grant aplication has made it to the committie. Now we just hope and pray. I will keep you posted.

[cruiserkb]

Well I had a little set back. I was at the local pool swimming laps when a freak accident occured. I was about half way down the lane and I had just rotated to take a breath, I drew my breath and began to bring my right arm over and into the water, it colided with a small boy who had swam under the lane marker into my path. My right arm struck him in the head. I quickly turned around to see if he was ok. I helped him to the side and the lifeguards took a look at him. They quickly moved him to the guard house to examine him further. One of them told me "it looks like he will be fine". With all of this going on I did not realise that I had knocked my right sholder out of socket. It took me about 5 min. to get it back in place. I will be cutting my training off untill my therapist can look at it next week. I don't like a lag in training it is difficult to come back from. We will see how soon I can get back to training.Fingers crossed!

[AMFADVENTURES]

Well I had a little set back. I was at the local pool swimming laps when a freak accident occured. I was about half way down the lane and I had just rotated to take a breath, I drew my breath and began to bring my right arm over and into the water, it colided with a small boy who had swam under the lane marker into my path. My right arm struck him in the head. I quickly turned around to see if he was ok. I helped him to the side and the lifeguards took a look at him. They quickly moved him to the guard house to examine him further. One of them told me "it looks like he will be fine". With all of this going on I did not realise that I had knocked my right sholder out of socket. It took me about 5 min. to get it back in place. I will be cutting my training off untill my therapist can look at it next week. I don't like a lag in training it is difficult to come back from. We will see how soon I can get back to training.Fingers crossed!

Sorry to hear that Kevan. At least it's still early in the training so hopefully you'll be able to get that under control soon. Looking forward to seeing you in the beer garden.

Larry

[cruiserkb]

I got the go ahead to start back up. She told me to take it slow. Take it slow; are you kidding me I cant take anything slow. I guess in this case it might be better. I have made some drastic changes to the bike in the down time. This will give me time to try them out. I think I will be more comforatable and alow for more power through each stroke. We will see. I might go out for a few easy miles tonight.