A HELLO TO ARMS!

Well, you should see my arms now! Judy has been saying that they look bigger and stronger due to my daily handcycling practice. I haven't been using my electric wheelchair, because I want to keep building strength in them. Whenever I am out in my manual wheelchair these days, I can't help but try to out run Judy and Hope. Hope loves it! She starts to yell, "Wait Daddy, wait Daddy," and runs after me. I can see Judy just nodding her head and smiling, "alright, come on you two!" We have a blast! Hope is starting to get interested in my handcycling and even tries to sit in my wheelchair to play along. "Look, Daddy!" is all I hear. I do wheelies in my manual wheelchair to amuse her, and she always laughs. She is my angel.

I recently bought a new battery powered tire pump, and it's a great convenience. I also got some carbon fiber tires, and they usually cost $1500 new, but I was lucky and found some used ones for $450. I also got some special racing gloves which really relieve the strain on my hands. I used to sell medical equipment for living, and I always know where to look for the best prices.

I've been averaging 9 mph in my 100 meter practice runs, but I have learned that it isn't the strongest person who wins a race, it is the person who last the longest. Racing wheelchairs is an long endurance contest. You may not be the strongest or fastest person on the race course, but if you can keep pushing it for long periods, you may just find yourself in first place. This is what I am going to practice next. I will be doing 1 mile courses around my neighborhood (there's a golf course walking trail that's perfect.) I can't wait to be ready to start racing.