Wheelchair users to vie for medals, prizes in Run the Greenway Roll 5K

Wheelchair users for the first time will have their own race category in this year’s Run the Greenway Saturday, May 4 at Loudoun Station, putting them in competition for medals, glory and prizes.

First, second and third place overall finishers in the new Roll 5K category will win medals and a gift card to PR Run & Walk. That’s welcome news to the team at Ability Fitness Center at The Arc of Loudoun, the nonprofit that partnered with the Dulles Greenway to make Run the Greenway wheelchair accessible two years ago.

Many of the competitors on the Ability Fitness Center team use assistive technology such as wheelchairs to complete the race—including Anthony Ringenberg, the first wheelchair finisher in both years of Run, Walk or Roll the Greenway. He said the best part of the race is the finish line.

“It’s like working through the suck, and getting to the end and feeling the burn, and knowing that hey, I did it,” he said. “And also being number one. That’s a nice thing.”

This year, for the first time, Ringenberg might take home a gold medal for his accomplishment.

“If we had more people, there might be someone out there who can beat me,” Ringenberg said. “Might be.”

Run the Greenway marks a big day each year for the Ability Fitness Center team. It’s a return to form for M.J. Weier, who before a spinal injury was a competitive cyclist.

“One of the reasons I like competition and this particular event is that it gives me something to train for,” she said. “Rather than just going and doing it just to get exercise, it gives me a reason to do it, it gives me a goal to try and improve my time.”

And although it’s measured in kilometers, it sometimes marks a milestone, such as for Lindsay Roberts. In the first Run, Walk or Roll the Greenway two years ago, she rolled the whole way in her wheelchair. Last year, she stood up and walked across the finish line to applause.

“My goal for this year is to walk more than just the finish line,” she said. “Assisted—I still use a cane—but one day, I’m going to be able to drop it and just walk it, no problem.”

“We’re thrilled to partner with The Arc of Loudoun to make Run The Greenway race accessible for individuals with disabilities,” Dulles Greenway Public & Customer Relations Manager Terry Hoffman said. “Our annual race is inclusive for all Northern Virginia athletes, and we look forward to providing a welcoming and accessible venue for all our participates to display their skills.”

The new category is thanks in part to a new partner in the race: Potomac River Races, the race management company that added a wheelchair category to its timekeeping.

“We’re excited to work on Run the Greenway,” Potomac River Races Director of Operations Terri Marlin said. “It’s a race in our backyard. We’re really happy to be part of this and to help raise money for all the local community organizations that means so much to so many people.”

Each year, Run the Greenway helps raise funds for local nonprofit organizations. Last year, the race drew around 2,000 runners and raised nearly $270,000 for local nonprofits.

“Since we partnered to create Run, Walk or Roll the Greenway two years ago, the race has been more than just a fundraiser for our clients, staff and families,” The Arc of Loudoun CEO Lisa Kimball said. “It brings out that same indomitable spirit that our staff and clients bring to work and school every day. That’s part of building a lifetime of opportunities and a just, equitable world for people with disabilities.”

Registration is open now for Run the Greenway’s 5K, 5K Roll, 10K, and Kids Fun Run races, along with virtual options to donate or create your own fundraising site without running. For more information, visit dullesgreenway.com/run-the-greenway. To register, visit thearcofloudoun.org/greenway.

The Arc of Loudoun, founded in 1967, is a 501(c)(3) with a rich history of supporting individuals with disabilities and their families throughout the Washington, DC Region. An affiliate of The Arc of the United States, The Arc of Loudoun is home to multiple direct-service programs that serve the most vulnerable and underserved in our community — children and adults with disabilities, their families and caretakers, and the professionals who work to help them achieve their greatest potential.

The Arc of Loudoun’s primary programs, Ability Fitness Center, ALLY Advocacy Center, Aurora Behavior Clinic, Aurora School, and Open Door Learning Center Preschool, continue to thrive in Leesburg, VA, providing a lifetime of opportunities for people with disabilities.