GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. — Dozens of people filled Calder Plaza on Friday, some of them registering for Saturday’s big race, the 44th annual Amway River Bank Run.
Steve Chapman was there too. He recently returned from completing the Boston Marathon and a race in Tennessee.
“They really roll out the red carpet for us para-athletes. So, that’s always enjoyable to be able to come and have people rolling out the red carpet and helping us, doing things,” said Chapman, who’s a hand cyclist. “But, just seeing all the other participants here is amazing and the crowds that cheer us on.”
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Over 15,000 people are expected to participate in the race. Twenty-Five of them will be para-athletes whom Chapman will be competing against for the gold.
“They’re super, super fast,” said Christy VanHaver, recreational therapist and sports coordinator in the Mary Free Bed Wheelchair and Adaptive Sports Department. "They’re going to start at 9:15 with a hand cycle divisions. They’ll start at 9:16 for the wheelchair division. And, they’ll be starting to finish in about 43 minutes.”
VanHaver helps many of the para-athletes train. She said they're excited to return to the road, considering this’ll be the first River Bank Run in two years due to COVID.
For Chapman, this’ll be his 7th or 8th River Bank race, he said. Back in the early 1980s, he never dreamed he’d be doing this.
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“I was 19 and I had a dirt bike/motorcycle accident. Actually [I was] laid out in an apple orchard for 14 hours until I was found the day after my accident,” Chapman recalled. “I was 19 and the first three years were pretty rough, trying to get acclimated to being in a wheelchair and 'What am I going to do from here?'”
Chapman, who’s 6’4” and played basketball, said he had to get used to living life from a seated position. It wasn't until his son was born and grew to be a kid that he was inspired to make a change.
“When my son was four, that’s what got me into hand cycling,” Chapman said. “I needed to figure out what to do and how to do it so that I could do it with him when he was learning how to ride his bike.”
Now, on Saturday, he’s ready to race again and win it all.
“I want first place tomorrow,” Chapman laughed. “Actually, I want first place in every race.”
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