Once Upon a Time… Someone sent me a link to a video about Team Hoyt. This was a long, long time ago. As I watched this father push his son, I was floored. I was inspired. It gave new meaning to “strong enough.” At the time I didn’t think that it had much to do with me, even though I have a daughter in a wheelchair, but I never forgot those images. I never forgot the love.
Last year when I registered for both half-marathons, I admit, I checked the rules. I looked to see if a stroller or a wheelchair would be allowed. The rules clearly stated that wheelchairs and strollers were NOT allowed. Did I secretly give a sigh of relief? Maybe.
This year I checked the rules again as I registered for the Salt Lake City Half-Marathon. Nothing had changed. In fact it stated “No wheelchairs. No strollers. No exceptions.” I was checking the rules for myself… sort of, I mean my daughter Lucy hadn’t even asked about it. I just wondered how it was that Team Hoyt seemed to find so many races that would allow them to participate when so far I was ZERO for three.
And then one day not too long ago she said it…
I was in the kitchen. Lucy was on the sofa reading. She looked up and said, “I really want to run a half-marathon.” My heart sank just a little because… I had already looked. I already knew the answer was “no.” I smiled at my daughter and said, “That would be fun wouldn’t it?” But, I could see the words “No Exceptions” clearly in my mind.
When my thirteen-year-old daughter Leah registered to run the half-marathon with us there was a part of me that felt even worse! What was I going to say now? “Sorry Lucy, see Leah’s just deaf and you… well, you got a bummer deal on the ol’ legs. You can’t walk and you can’t run so you get to stay home with a babysitter. Chalk one up for spina bifida and cerebral palsy.”
More than two weeks had passed since I made the call. YES, I made the call. I set the girls up with their homework and I went outside on the front porch. I shut the front door and I called the Race Director. I got his voicemail and I left the most compelling message I could muster up. In the face of “No Exceptions” I was just committed (or crazy) enough to ask for one anyhow. I actually said, “I am calling to ask you to make an exception.”
Weeks went by and no one called me back, so I posted Run With Your Life and I only talked about Leah joining us in the race which was exciting and amazing and… and… I knew something was missing. You knew it too. You asked about Lucy in your comments.
Then… two days later I got word.
THEY WOULD MAKE AN EXCEPTION!
Lucy was in!!!
I might have jumped up and down in my front yard and whooped and hollered a bit. I just might have.
I couldn’t wait to tell Lucy. As soon as she was off the school bus and the bus engine had faded enough for us to talk I told her, “Lucy, I have really exciting news! You can do the half-marathon with us! We can all run as a family!” Lucy’s eyes were wide with disbelief. She put out her arms to hug me. Her eyes welled with tears. “Can you believe it Lucy?” I asked.
Still slightly shocked my little girl looked up at me with a huge smile and said in a half whisper, “I am going to get a medal!”
We had been training, but we hadn’t been training with her and now the race was only a month away. We didn’t even own a jog-stroller. I called my friend Mike at Baby Bling Design Co. I knew that even though he doesn’t make the kind of stroller that I needed, he could tell me what I needed and point me in the right direction to find it. Like I said Mike doesn’t make that kind of stroller but as luck would have it he just happened to have one that he had used as a prototype for sheepskin stroller inserts. He had been trying to figure out what to do with this brand new jog-stroller in his warehouse. (Are you kidding me?) Within two hours of our “exception” Mike had donated the stroller and it was on its way to us!
And that’s how it happened that THIS Saturday Aaron, Rachel, Leah and Lucy Coleman will ALL be participating in the Salt Lake City Half-Marathon!!!
You can jump up and down a bit and even whoop and holler. I won’t tell. Or better yet, if you are in town we would love to have you cheer us on. I think we’ll be pretty easy to spot… see, we’ll be the ones with the stroller.
~With special thanks to Team Hoyt for paving the way and special thanks to The Salt Lake City Marathon Race Director, Scott Kerr for being a “Yes” in a world full of “No”.
RACHEL COLEMAN is a runner, hiker, skier and super-mom. While her most important job is being a mom, she also has a successful career as a singer-songwriter and is the co-creator and host of Signing Time, an Emmy nominated television and DVD series….{more}
Rachel, I’m so thrilled and inspired to hear you and Lucy have broken another barrier. Sorry I can’t be there to cheer for Team Coleman, but I’ll be there in spirit. You’re amazing!!!
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Congrats, Rachel! Please pass on my best wishes to the other 2 courageous women on your team!
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wow Rachel, what an emotional story. at Athleta, when things are going our way, we ring a cowbell (it rings a lot around here!). I just jumped up and rang it for you! Have FUN!
On a side note, I would love to hear more about your training in your kigos (?).
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Rachel, Your story and and your family are inspiring… what a wonderful lesson you have taught us all — to push through those barriers we face each day… I will be cheering Team Coleman on in spirit… can’t wait to see pictures.
Good luck!
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Awesome! When I am whining on my 3 mile run at the Petaluma Footrace, I will picture you and your girls as my inspiration. Can’t wait to read the update on this! (just heard the cowbell!)
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Well, Rachel… I’m crying again. So excited for all of the Coleman Family! You are truly inspirational and I am SO looking forward to meeting you this weekend. I’ll be the one you’re passing up! Great photo too! You both look wonderful!
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WOW! what an inspiration and how great for your whole family to be able to participate! Can’t wait to see photos and read about the challenges. (heard the cowbell too)
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Tenacity!!! You are an inspiration to us all, not only for what you are doing with your daughters, but in having the courage to ask the question and change minds! Can’t wait to hear the next installment.
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Rachel, you spread inspiration and motivation like wildfire. Thank you for sharing your exciting news and we will all be rooting for your whole family…you will hear the cheers all the way from CA :)
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I am so glad for your family. I am looking forward to read your story after the event!
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Wow – kudo’s to you for persevering, Rachel! I’ve no doubt this will be an incredible experience for your family. Thanks so much for sharing such a moving story!
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Thanks for all the love! We are so excited for this weekend. It feels like a dream.
For those of you asking about the shoes, they are Vibram Five Fingers and yes I have trained in them and I will be wearing them this Saturday. I am already working on a post to share with yo how I worked up to running 13.1 miles in them- which is another cool accomplishment for Saturday.
I might need a little cowbell for that too;) We can always use more cowbell!
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Rachel,
You are a ROCKSTAR! Many people have been inspired by Team Hoyt, but few have put the inspiration into action! You and your daughter will never forget this and thousands will never forget you!
Ringing cowbells from Virginia!
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Rachel, great job asking! Sometimes the biggest challenge is ourselves, and getting over our fears. Have a great race…go Team Coleman!
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Wow, go team coleman! What an inspiration your story is. You never know unitl you ask, there is a great lesson in that.
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Rachel, Aaron, Leah and Lucy –
Your story is very inspirational! I’ve seen the Team Hoyt video, ran races with them – including triathlons – which is an amazing sight to see. It inspired me during my first triathlon to push harder! Your story will inspire others. I wish you all the best of luck during your race! Go Team Coleman!
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wow. brushing away the tears here. we will be ringing cowbells for you in montana. and believe me, we have lots of cowbells.
your story and positive make-it-happen attitude in a world of “nos” and other roadblocks, is incredibly inspiring. you are supermom and superwoman! I’ll be jumping up and down, whooping and hollering for you and your family this saturday! your daughters are so so lucky to have you as a role model, watching you they will learn that anything is possible. Way to go, girl.
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And I, too, say: “Go Team Coleman, Go!!!!”
Dear, dear Rachel…we all cheer you, Lucy, Leah, and Aaron on this upcoming weekend with lots of hollering, jumping up and down and spirited enthusiasm to boot!!! Your plight is ours in sincere support of something so very, very special. I can feel it deeply through your words, your story, your outstanding inspiration, and more.
Thank you for sharing it all, thank you for your warmth, strength of heart and unrelenting belief and mission. Soooo very inspirational!!!
Truly, the ‘yes’ here rather than the ‘no’ triumphs happily in this world when you decide to go there as you have incredibly, Wow!!!
And yes! Anything IS possible.
Can’t wait to hear more…:)
~Catherine
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YAY!! That is so exciting! I can’t wait to hear how it goes! I’ll be thinking of the four of you on Saturday!
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That is the best news!!! You and your family are an inspiration to everyone. Talk about where there is a will there is a way…….. Have a great time on Saturday!!!!
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ah, i just LOVE it. So inspiring. wow! Thank you so much for sharing and Saturdays’ race will be the best!
oh, and very impressed that you’re running the thing in Vibrams. wow. that’s a whole different post for ya!;-)
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The results are in! Team Coleman crossed the finish line at 2:10:35… yes, somehow we all managed to cross at the exact same time, even pushing a jog-stroller. We ran Leah’s pace and I am so proud of her! When Leah saw the finish line she started sprinting… no SPRINTING! Aaron and I made a mad dash to try to catch up with her, bobbing and weaving through the other participants closing in on their finish. Lucy ended up finishing first in her age division… ummm, we’re not quite sure what to do about that ;)
It really was the easiest 13.1 miles ever simply because we were showered with love and support the entire way. Strangers were holding signs saying “Go LEAH! Go LUCY!” There were participants who had seen the news story and said they hoped to see us and have the chance to run with us. After the finish a man came up and said, “I have to thank you. I was done at mile 11. DONE! Then I saw you and Lucy cruising by and I read ‘Strong Enough’ on her stroller, I knew I could be ‘Strong Enough’ too!”
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Wow!! How inspiring! Thanks for sharing.
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Yes, Wow!!! Congrats!!! Glad to hear how it all went up until the finish!! It must have felt really, really good to accomplish this race with all of your family members. And I believe this is the start of other future family races, perhaps? Very inspirational and extremely touching; thank you for sharing your experiences, Rachel. :)
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P.S. You were ‘Strong Enough’ to ask, receive, believe, and succeed! How remarkable, how wonderfully moving and again, how highly-inspirational! Now, that’s what I call putting your BEST! foot forward into making a ‘strong’ difference.
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Thank you so much for sharing this inspiring story. Perhaps, through your efforts, more wheelchair bound children will be able to experience the joy of running and being able to participate in more orgainzed race events.
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I too want to say what an inspiration you and your family are. Congratulations!
Still waiting to read your post on the five fingers. I have a pair, and really like running in them. Did you start out with the sock inserts?
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Truly inspiring.
I was the head swim instructor at a pool that offered one-on-one swim lessons to children with special needs. Through that experience of physical fun and fitness, I saw how sport can empower students beyond words. Just one example- one eight year student of mine with muscular dystrophy was for the first time able to experience mobility, because of his time in the water. His arms and legs became stronger and were able to do more on dry land than his mother every remembered seeing before. From that experience I went on to teach for three years in Special Education full time, and learned the most powerful lessons of bravery and perseverance. Thank you for your testimony of fitness, fun and especially perseverance in your family.
Blessings~
p.s. my girls ages 5 and 4 have enjoyed your show. :)
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