Achilles Track Club Comes to Canada

The Achilles Track Club, a New York-based, international organization committed to mainstreaming people with disabilities and chronic illnesses in running events, now has chapters in Canada.

In 1976, Achilles founder and president Dick Traum, who had lost a leg in a car accident, became the first amputee to run a marathon. A picture of Traum running that marathon was shown to Terry Fox the night before he had his cancerous leg amputated. That night, Fox decided to run a marathon a day across Canada to raise funds for cancer research.

The inspiration was reciprocated in 1982 when Traum came to Toronto to help start the Terry Fox Runs. It was in Toronto that Traum envisioned the Achilles Track Club. Traum noticed how much more integrated the Toronto disability community was compared to New York.

Achilles now has 150 chapters in 47 countries around the world. It encourages people with all kinds of disabilities to participate in running with the general public. Running is accessible to all, breaks down barriers between participants with and without disabilities, and enhances health. Achilles provides training, encouragement and technical expertise to runners with disabilities.

For more information, call Shane Carmichael, Achilles Canada, at (416) 304-0144.