Run for Fun: Tampa Bay area veteran competes in handcycle races

TAMPA, Fla. (WFLA) – In this week’s episode of Run for Fun, we take a look at competing and racing in wheelchairs and handcycles. The joy of crossing a finish line should be available to everyone, no matter their ability.

Today, Leigh Spann and Coach Maria sit down with Mark Lalli, one of just 40 handcycle participants in the 2024 Boston Marathon. To compete in this category, the athlete must have a physical impairment that aligns with the International Paralympic Committee, and the impairment must impact the person’s ability to use a wheelchair or run with a prosthesis.

Like the runners, the handcycle participants must qualify on a certified marathon course within a certain time to be invited to the Boston Marathon.

Lalli joined the army after 9/11. He became a Blackhawk helicopter mechanic serving the flight crew during missions across Iraq. During a training mission in Italy, Lalli was paralyzed after a severe traumatic brain injury. During rehab, he was introduced to hand cycling. Eventually, he participated in multi-day cycling events with the Wounded Warrior Project. He uses the exercise as a way to stay sober and stay active with other veterans.

His 26.2-mile trek in the Boston Marathon helped raise money for the National Braille Press to support his visually impaired daughter.

For more ways to keep running enjoyable, be sure to watch or listen to previous episodes of Run for Fun.

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