Bluenose Marathon 2016 features wheelchair division for first time
Wheelchair athletes will compete in 5 km race Saturday afternoon, starting 5 minutes before runners
Times at the Bluenose Marathon's five-kilometre race will likely be significantly lower this weekend, thanks to a new group of athletes.
For the first time, there will be a wheelchair division.
Wheelchair athlete Ryan Shay, originally from Yarmouth and now living in Halifax, says it's a significant development for the sport locally to have the race and to have Josh Cassidy, the world champion, in the city to promote it.
"It's pretty awesome, he's pretty well-known in the wheelchair racing community," he said on CBC's Information Morning.
Growing community
Since finding out about the race a few months ago, Shay's has been training almost everyday on the track at the Canada Games Centre.
He says Nova Scotia doesn't have as large of a wheelchair community as some other parts of the country, but he now trains with a handful of athletes.
"It's slowly growing, it's great to see it grow," said Shay.
Ahead of the pack
The group of wheelchair athletes will hit the five-kilometre course five minutes before runners Saturday afternoon. Shay says they can sometimes finish marathons in half the time.
They're assisted by special racing chairs — longer, lower and more lightweight than typical wheelchairs, and have thinner tires. They cost between $5,000 to $35,000, depending on the materials.
"When you go up to the race line, or when you start a marathon, you have to make sure everything is sound — all the nuts and bolts are tightened and all the steering components are put together properly," said Shay.
International competitions
Last week, Shay was in Arizona and next week he'll be competing in Switzerland, hoping to establish times that will allow him to compete in high-profile international competitions, possibly even the Olympics.
The former team athlete says it's been a real adjustment to compete in a solo sport.
"It's great to know when you get to the track it just depends on you, and as long as you show up and you're in the zone and ready to compete, the outcomes just rests on you," he said.
Registration for the Bluenose starts Friday at the World Trade and Convention Centre in Halifax. The events are tomorrow and Sunday.
With files from Information Morning