marathons in 50 states in 50 weeks.
Those included, most memorably, the Aspen, Colorado, marathon
(“Elevation, 8,800 feet. The first 21 of the 26 miles were downhill.”); the
Asheville, North Carolina marathon (“So hilly that I had to go backwards
up some of the hills, or risk flipping over backwards and zigzagging on
some of the others – I won’t ever go back to Asheville again”); and Boston.
It was the third time he’d qualified for the best of U.S. marathons, and
he loved everything about it – the facilities, the crowds, the competition.
“But I had to get back to work,” Erway recalled, “so after I finished, I
rushed to my hotel, changed T-shirts in the lobby and got into a taxi for
the airport.”
His flight took off at 2:45 that afternoon. And in those days before use of
cell phones to go online was permitted on flights, it wasn’t until he landed
in Atlanta and took out his phone that he understood what had happened.
“It was a complete shock,” he said. “Here you are, doing the greatest
marathon in the U.S., feeling so good about completing it, and then
finding out three people were killed, several hundred injured and 16
people lost limbs.”
The bomb went off four minutes after his plane left Boston.
He has written a book about his 50-50-50 experience titled, “50 Ability
Marathons,” though the amount of information forced him to stop the
book after discussing just 14 of the races – Boston being the final chapter.
He intends to write about the other 36 in what he thinks will be two more
installments.
Erway has continued to train three times a week, both weight workouts
in the gym and speed workouts on the road. He has a special racing
wheelchair that weighs only 20 pounds and is fitted to his body size and
situation, so that it’s properly balanced and positions his shoulders to
the chair’s push rail for maximum propulsion, and to take advantage of
his arm, stomach and back muscles. “It cost me $6,500.”
But as he went through his fifties (he’s 59 now), he tailed off a bit on his
racing schedule, though he continued to do the Kentucky Derby Festival
(KDF) mini-marathon most years. (“It’s a half-marathon for wheelchairs,”
he explained, “because all those wheelchairs on the course in the park
could be dangerous for the runners.”)
He began getting asked by the KDF organizers to help out with the
arrangements for the wheelchair division. And this year, he has been
named director of the April 28-29 event. That means getting sponsorships,
coordinating hotel rooms, registering athletes, caring for their regular
chairs while they’re out in their racing chairs, making sure they’re safe
on the course, and also ensuring there’s mechanical help if they need it.
Erway also will handle the next day’s Tour de Lou, a cycling event in
which handicapped racers use specially outfitted hand cycles.
He was particularly inspired by his experience in Japan, where “all
you had to do was tell them when you were flying in, and they took care
of everything else – free transportation, hotel, breakfasts, registration
for the race.”
Erway recalled while in Oita being asked by the local elementary schools
to come out and talk to the students about life in America. “We gave an
exhibit, told them about the U.S., and played games with them. We even
arm-wrestled with them.”
It has all become part of what he feels is his special mission – helping
others to live full lives and representing his community to the world at large.
“It’s the life I wish I didn’t have to lead,” he said, philosophically, “but
since I do lead it, I might as well try to encourage other people, to help
get them up and going.”
You can find out more about Paul Erway’s journey and book on his web
site, www.50abilitymarathons.com. Or call him at 502.724.2300.
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