Courage Kenny Adaptive Cyclist Completes Twin Cities Marathon
Every year, the Twin Cities Marathon is filled with inspiring stories. This year, one of those stories includes a Courage Kenny Rehabilitation Center athlete.
Joe Dailey competed in the first Twin Cities Marathon open to all mobility devices.
Dailey has done four marathons in his life. Three were on foot, but this is his first competing using a hand cycle.
“It’s so great to feel included again, and even the camaraderie of the other runners,” Dailey said. “So many runners commented to me ‘way to go, good job’ and looked out for us.”
Dailey became paralyzed 23 years ago, but didn’t discover the hand cycle until he began building strength in the ABLE program at Courage Kenny in Golden Valley. There, he found a new sense of freedom that he once found in running. He now attends adaptive cycling rides throughout the year, and goes on bike rides with his family.
Joe Dailey at the Twin Cities Marathon start line. He competed on a team of nine at the race.
“When I’m on my hand cycle, I’m not in my wheelchair, and I don’t feel disabled. I am in a world, I am in a zone. And again, it’s that feeling of freedom where I am in control of what’s going on,” Dailey said. “I’m getting that feeling of release and serenity.”
Since Dailey took up hand cycling, he hasn’t had a chance to compete in a marathon — until this year. He credits two Minnesota-based groups that pushed to allow hand cyclists in the marathon. One is Get Up Stand Up to Cure Paralysis Foundation, which he helped found at Courage Kenny, and the other is the Unite 2 Fight Paralysis group, which negotiated to secure places for hand cyclists in the race.
A team of nine rode for Unite 2 Fight this year.
Dailey finished in two hours and 49 minutes. He said his time wasn’t quite what he wanted amid on-course struggles, but he completed the race with the help of his team, his family and helpful spectators.
