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Wheelchair-Bound Woman Qualifies For Boston

  • By Duncan Larkin
  • Published Mar. 30, 2011

She couldn’t get in last year, but made sure she made the cut this year.

Nine years ago, Utah resident Katie Terry was involved in a tragic automobile accident that left her paralyzed from the hips down. Three years ago, she began exercising using a handcycle and competeted in her first marathon, the St.George Marathon.

It was the first time in the race’s history that a woman completed the marathon using a handcycle.

Now Terry’s focus is on the Boston Marathon. She tried to gain entry last year, but was denied due to an eight-handcycle limit imposed by race organizers.

Determined to race Boston, Terry did what she had to do this year to gain entry. “This year I made sure right at 6 a.m. Utah time I was right on and making sure I was one of the eight,” she said.

Terry says her postive attitude helps her overcomes the challenges of being a disabled athlete.

“My quote that I’d always say is it’s all mental, it’s all mental. It is all mental. I think if you go in negative you are going to have a negative outcome.  If you go in with a  positive attitude I think you’ll have a positive outcome.”

For More: ABC4.com

FILED UNDER: Boston Marathon / News TAGS: / / / / / / /

Duncan Larkin

Duncan Larkin

Duncan Larkin is the news editor at Competitor.com and a freelance journalist who’s been covering the sport of running for over five years. He’s run 2:32 in the marathon and won the Himalayan 100-Mile Stage Race in 2007. His first running book, RUN SIMPLE, was released last July.