Racerunning / Frame Running
Racerunning, also knwn as Frame Running) is a track and field racing sport which was developed to be contested by disabled athletes. This relatively new sport, modeled after running races for normal athletes, was developed in Denmark in 1961 by a Paralympics athlete Connie Hansen, and Mansoor Siddiqi. Currently, racerunning is practiced by men, women and children of various ages.
For racerunning, athletes use a specially designed tricycle, called the running bike, to aid them during their runs. The running bike has three wheels, with the two rear wheels relatively closer. The bike has a saddle, and a body support on which athletes lean on, while moving forward. There are no pedals in the bike, and the athletes have to use their legs to propel them forward.
Unlike other Paralympic sports, there are no classifications of athletes based on athlete's disability, and only athletes able enough to run using the running bike as a support are allowed to compete.
Similar to regular running races, racerunning races are conducted for short (100m, 200m, 400m), medium (800m, 1500m), and long (5K, 10K, half marathon, and full marathon) distances.
Racerunning is not as popular as some of the other sports for disabled athletes and is currently not a part of the Paralympics. However there are several regional level competitions conducted for racerunning.
Similar Sports
- Wheelchair Racing — a type of racing in which athletes with physical disabilities compete with the help of a wheelchair.
- Paratriathlon — involves a 750 m swim, a 20 km bike with handcycles, bicycles or tandems with a guide, and a 5 km wheelchair or running race.
- Running — running races can range from short sprints to ultra-marathons.
- Wheelchair Slalom — navigating in a wheelchair through a course with challenging obstacles.
- Para-Cycling — cycle racing events using adaptations for disabled athletes, such as tandem bikes and hand-cycling.
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