What Every Runner Should Know About Wheelchair Racing

Everyday Athlete Podcast Network · Jul 28, 2026 · 59m

Most runners have never stopped to think about what it's like to race in a wheelchair.

Mary MacDonald is changing that.

At just 17 years old, Mary is already the 2026 Sports 'N Spokes Junior Athlete of the Year, the Massachusetts Ms. Amazing winner, and an aspiring Paralympian. But this conversation isn't about medals. It's about perspective.

Mary shares how depression, bullying, and a difficult childhood eventually led her to adaptive sports and how racing gave her purpose, confidence, and a dream bigger than she ever imagined.

Mary and I discuss the realities most runners never see:

• Why…