Here at runladylike.com, Fridays are all about sharing the inspiring stories of fit people who motivate all of us to be better tomorrow than we were yesterday. My Friday FITspiration series profiles runners, triathletes and casual exercisers who are making choices every day to be as healthy as they can be – in both huge ways and through simple, small victories.

“I’ve learned not to allow limits to be placed on someone. Each person has more ability within themselves than they think they have. I’ve learned to take a moment and look beyond a physical limitation and see the possibility. I don’t count myself out anymore and I don’t count my neighbor out. There will always be ‘the wall’ but, with the right support, we can all do more than we give ourselves credit for.”

~Rebecca Johnson

For many of you who are like me and love to run, running is a passion. A way of life. It’s something we do or think about nearly every day. But for many individuals and families, the mere thought of running, let alone walking, may be impossible due to health conditions, disabilities and many other life-threatening challenges. As someone who works with families living with life-threatening diseases that take away mobility, I am constantly reminded of what a gift it is to be able to run and of our responsibility to give back to keep lifting barriers and challenges for kids and adults who may face physical limitations.

Today, I’d like to introduce you to Rebecca Johnson, a fellow runner and the founder and executive director of a nonprofit organization called myTEAM TRIUMPH Angels of Georgia. Rebecca was inspired to start this organization that matches able-bodied athletes with people living with disabilities to allow them to experience endurance races. She was inspired by her son Gabriel who has Down syndrome, and her passion and commitment is changing the lives of people across her state.

I had a chance to interview Rebecca and learn more about her incredible story and this inspiring organization. I hope her words will inspire some of you to push or pull someone with disabilities in an upcoming race or make a donation to support similar efforts.

Tell us about myTEAM TRIUMPH and what inspired you to start this incredible organization.
My son Gabriel was born with Down syndrome, and my inspiration comes directly from him. Gabriel is almost 5 years old. He’s smart, has determination to overcome obstacles such as walking and talking, is resilient each time he is hospitalized, accepts individuals he meets and has a generally loving spirit. We’ve been inseparable since he was born and, together, we’ve overcome so many obstacles. Gabriel has multiple medical challenges we manage on a daily basis. We live each day together praying and believing for the best and creating memories together.

Since I’ve not been able to let him be around other children as much as I’d like, we started running together when he was about 2 years old. He loves it! It’s our time together to get out and enjoy the outdoors and each other. It’s a bonding moment that is just ours during our run.

I love running and I love my son. I’ve always longed to start a nonprofit to benefit our community, but I didn’t know where I fit in. When I found myTEAM TRIUMPH, it all came together: My love of and desire to serve, my son who has a disability and running! I started our Angels of Georgia Chapter in 2014. myTEAM TRIUMPH is an athletic mentoring program for children, teens, adults and veterans with disabilities who would not normally be able to experience endurance events, such as triathlons and road races. Our mission is to enrich the health and well-being of individuals with disabilities by fostering lasting, authentic relationships through the teamwork environment of endurance athletics. We provide unforgettable race experiences to individuals with disabilities and their families.

I saw an opportunity to give to others like my son, encourage the community to get to know our loved ones, assist in creating lifelong health and wellness for people with disabilities and their loved ones and even those impacted by our presence.

What stories or which “Angels” (athletes pushing or pulling participants with disabilities) and “Captains” (participants with disabilities) stand out most to you since you started myTEAM TRIUMPH?
Our families are very involved and each race brings them closer to each other and increases their love of the sport. It’s very hard to pick one Captain or one Angel.

Jerry Bruce (JB) is 8 years old and has hypoplastic left heart syndrome – that’s basically half a heart. But let me tell you, this kid is all heart. He’s all determination and his love of racing is contagious! We raced our first 10K in Dahlonega, Georgia with him on September 13, 2014. After the race was over, his mom, Lisa, told me that he said it was the best weekend he’s ever had! JB came back to race with us in March of this year. There is nothing like our Captains leading us to the finish line. It’s just beautiful.

All our Angels are phenomenal, so it’s really a disservice to only mention one, but Kathy McTyre first ran with us on the coldest race of the year. It was November 15, 2014, and it was 23 degrees (F) out. She was paired with an equally amazing Captain – 12-year-old Jakob who has cerebral palsy. She met him and it seems she fell head over heels! She’s been with him ever since! Whatever race Jake has said yes to, Kathy has been right there.

Another Angels is Vikki Frost. She’s our first official Angel and, right off the bat; she helped us raise $1,000 towards our first chair. She has also been there each race so far.

We also have one more Angel I have to mention – Raquel Gavina, the mom of one of our Captains. She told me once she’d been looking for something to support her family while being involved in the community. She had been looking for an outlet for activity and interaction. I can attest to the fact that, as a special needs family, sometimes it’s hard to find your “home” in the community. Raquel agreed to race with us, and during this whole endeavor has been right by my side, pushing for our success.

How do you select your Captains and Angels? How do you determine who to pair up?
We allow all levels of ability within our teams. To do this, we cannot exclude. We screen for risk, (i.e. previous heart attack, aneurysms, stroke risk, etc.). An application has to be filled out and the waiver signed before our Angels can participate. We also encourage family teams. From personal experience, it’s amazing! Captains are always allowed, no matter the disability as long as a physician has signed off on the safety of participating in the event. In general, we like three Angels per team to care for, protect, encourage and create a positive environment for our Captains. We have a rule of “No DNF.” – there is no “Do Not Finish.” Our Captains will always cross that finish line. Angels are generally paired with similar paces, levels of fitness, etc.

How should runners or triathletes prepare to race with you?
Running with a Captain is one of the most fulfilling things you will ever do. We think we are serving them, but what usually happens, is that you will find you are being given as much, if not more, than you can give to them.

As any athlete does, novice or seasoned, you will always need training. This is definitely true with running while pushing a racing chair. These chairs, at lightest weight, are about 25 to 30 pounds alone. If you are pushing a 75-pound child, then you’ve significantly increased your load. Your legs, hips and core do the majority of the work while you push.

1. Take us up on group training sessions. It might just be one more thing on your agenda but allows for much needed practice in a low expectation, relaxed, fun setting. It provides valuable feedback on form, connects you with others who can give tips from their experiences on race day and allows you to see how your body feels the next day. It helps you mentally prepare. It also builds teams and the organization as a whole. If not in a group setting, you may have the opportunity, at the family’s convenience, to run with your Captain outside of races. I try to let people know who are close to each other and they most certainly can coordinate times to get together. Our Captains love this and usually will be more than willing to run with you whenever and wherever they can.
2. Focus on strength training. Cross training is important no matter whether you run solo or push someone else, but it’s extremely important here. As you aren’t as able to use your arms to assist your legs (we all know how important the upper body as well as core is to a runner), it will cause your legs to work much harder and tire more quickly. When legs/hips are exhausted and your muscles aren’t strengthened, form suffers and muscles/tendons/joints that weren’t meant to take that load. Core, back, hips, quads and glutes are in need of attention when you take on this kind of running, especially as you increase your miles to run a half marathon or marathon.
3. Stretch. Flexibility helps keep your muscles and joints prepared for the run. For those I know who dedicate time to flexibility and core strength, it seems to ward off more injury.
4. Practice hills. You will find you struggle harder in different ways while racing with your Captain. Pushing up an incline with extra weight can quadruple the effort needed to power through. Conversely, downhill requires dedication to speed control, strength and muscle stability to keep the chair fully under your guidance. You will increase your stamina and endurance doing these two things. Not tackling hills and practicing proper form and control both on the upswing and down can cause injury, especially as your race distances increase.
5. Practice with a jogger stroller. If you have access to a jogger stroller (child or adult size), and can run pushing a loved one, do this once or twice per week. If you don’t have anyone to run with, get sandbags or a 50-pound bag of dog food and throw it in the chair. We can’t always do group runs and this gives more consistent practice. This is, far and away, the best advice I can give you.
6. Realize it’s like any race or training. It takes time, effort, consistency, willpower and dedication. Also realize, in this environment, the meaning deepens but it’s amazingly fun! Your hardest days are not going to be your race days. The excitement and adrenaline, the crowds cheering for your Captain amps you up, excites you. Let the crowd carry you and your Captain. Your hardest days are when no one is watching and you don’t “have” to get up and get out there. So find your reason “why.”

What is myTEAM TRIUMPH most excited about for 2015?
This year will be our first “full” season and we are looking forward to filling it with as many races as we can and showing our communities who we are! We are excited to introduce our Captains to the world. One of the races we were really looking forward to happened last month at the Publix Georgia Half Marathon in Atlanta, Georgia. We were generously sponsored by the Kyle Pease Foundation. We raised money for them to help us attend but they took a large part of the expense on themselves to bring us in. We are forever grateful to them for their generosity.

We are also looking forward to expanding our race varieties. We’re adding an extra triathlon and hopefully a cycling event.

How do you use the donations you raise from generous donors and everyday athletes?
Our donors’ money funds equipment to race, such as chairs which start at $1,000 per chair. Additionally, we pay entry fees for our Captains, and when possible, our Angels. We try to make sure that there are as few barriers to participating as possible. There, of course, are other needs which can include travel expenses (gas, hotels, food) for long distance trips. We use the monies raised for all expenses associated with putting our Captains in the race. The generous donations allow myTeamTriumph to finance the events. Any donations, big or small are appreciated. Without the public, we don’t have the ability to give this precious gift.

What is the most meaningful lesson you’ve learned about running and life since starting myTEAM TRIUMPH?
I’ve learned not to allow limits to be placed on someone. Each person has more ability within themselves than they think they have. I’ve learned to take a moment and look beyond a physical limitation and see the possibility. I don’t count myself out anymore and I don’t count my neighbor out. There will always be “the wall” but, with the right support (physical and emotional), we can all do more than we give ourselves credit for. When challenges arise, lift your chin, take a deep breath and put one foot forward toward your goal. When you think you can’t make it, take one more step. It’s something that has been told to me when I’m running on fumes and it’s true in anything. If you do things one step at a time, one moment at a time, you will find your way to the finish line. It’s more about mental and emotional strength than physical prowess. And our Captains embody this better than anyone else I’ve known.

How can people connect with you and your organization?
Web site: www.mtt-angelsofgeorgia.org
Facebook: www.facebook.com/mttangelsofgeorgia
Email: President@mtt-angelsofgeorgia.org

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Do you know someone with an inspiring story that should be featured on Friday FITspiration? If so, email runladylike@gmail.com.

What inspires you most about Rebecca’s story and myTEAM TRIUMPH? Have you ever pushed or pulled someone with a disability during a race? If so, tell us about it.