BALTIMORE — Over 30,000 people from around the country are getting ready to compete in the Boston Marathon on April 15. That includes a group of athletes who will be participating in the hand-cycling program. Out of only 40 people competing, two young racers will be proudly representing Maryland.
“I’m pretty nervous that’s the biggest thing, until I get started and get in the groove. I don't stop until I finish,” said Jordon Christman.
Christman loves to race but as fast as he’s going there’s a stillness when he rides.
“Just the quietness and time to think,” said Christman.
Time to think about his next move. Christman is on his way to compete in the 128th Boston Marathon.
“Ever since I started hand cycling my goal was to get a qualifying time to get to Boston. it gave me a little more freedom to feel like a normal person,” said Christman.
In 2010 Jordan had a viral infection that traveled to his spiral cord.
“I had transverse myelitis, so the myelin sheath around my spinal cord comprised my spinal cord,” said Christman.
The doctors didn’t know if he would ever walk again.
“It was kind of heartbreaking. I was 18 years old, 4 months after I graduated high school. Your whole life is ahead of you,” said Christman.
Christman grew up playing basketball and running track, so for a while sports seemed out of reach, until he discovered handcycling in 2019.
“Going into adaptative sports helps with coping with the injury or coping with the disability that they have and going back into life after,” said Erin Michael, a physical therapist and manager for the adaptative sports program at Kennedy Krieger.
Michael works closely with families during a challenging time.
“One of the biggest things that we hear is that we saved them. They tell us that they were in a really dark place. They were really struggling with what life was going to be like and being able to participate in these activities gave them a whole new outlook,” said Michael.
After Jordon crosses the finish line in Boston, he’s going to shift gears and focus on his next race, the New York City Marathon in November.
“My goal is to do the 6 major marathons, Berlin, Tokyo, London, New York, Boston and Chicago,” said Michael.