Wheels Make Winners

Ohio Non-Profit Registration # 1767350

Welcome to Willowstrance Marathon Wheelers (WMW) home page.

WMW is an IRS recognized 501.c.3 charity.

WMW Wishes to thank Ratthosting.com for their generous support. Great people and a place to host a web site.

June 17, 2012 Inaugural Canton Marathon

On June 17th, Joe Booth, an experienced marathoner in push-rim wheelchairs and our team captain for so long, moved into the hand-crank division for the first time at the Inaugural Canton Marathon.

Having his new H/C wheeler for only 3 weeks Joe did the best he could to learn the new racing technique needed. Trying to learn how to pace himself in the new chair was the hardest part. It is so much faster than a push-rim.

Joe started the race in 5th and remained there for the first 2 miles. Realizing the lead 3 wheelers were pulling away too fast, he moved into 4th and started pacing a couple mph faster. By 1/2 way through the marathon Joe had moved into a very tight race for 2nd with a young wheeler. Both he and Joe picked up the pace and started closing on the leader. The distance was too great at this point to catch him but the battle for 2nd was literally side by side at up to 30 mph mile after mile. On a pace to finish in less that 1:50:00 the two were flying.

With just under 1/2 mile to the finish line at well over 25 mph a collision occurred between Joe and his competition. Joe ended up crashing hard. Flipping end over end, silencing the crowed and frightening his young opponent so much that he stopped racing and waited by Joe's side to make sure he was okay. The concern for the safety of other wheelers is quite strong among these athletes.

Turns out that with the exception of some road rash, Joe was fine. He got back into his badly damaged chair and finished 5th. The cost to return the chair to racing condition will be approximately $800.00..

Please visit Joe's page at http://www.gofundme.com/oo8h4 and donate to help us return Joe to racing. Thank you! Although WMW has been dormant since losing funding all donations made through Joe's page come directly to us and 100% of the donations will go directly to getting Joe's chair fixed and him going again. Anything over the first $800.00 will go 100% to Joe's racing expenses.