After years of battling with debilitating illnesses, Sydney Marshburn had no option but to amputate her left leg above the knee just last summer in August of 2021. On the road to recovery, Sydney won an entry for the SBT GRVL race from Click Medical and quickly set out on a training regimen to get mobile and back on a bike.   Fast forward to RACE DAY!  “On the day of the race, I had one objective: to finish all 37 miles,” says Sydney.  Sydney persevered through the rugged terrain, fit problems due her naturally shrinking residual limb and a huge lightning storm, all with a huge smile on her face.…

Running as an Amputee At thirty-three-years-old, Sidney Smith was recovering from having both of his feet amputated and was wheelchair-bound when he discovered the IronMan competition. Despite being an athlete, he had never heard of IronMan, the pinnacle of long distance marathons that combines cycling, swimming and running. As Sidney watched athletes on the television competing at the highest level of the sport, he promised himself that he, too, would someday join them.  “When I was in the hospital between therapy sessions, I realized I wanted to run. I saw the IronMan on TV and that motivated me. My ultimate goal was to do an IronMan, but I knew first…

South African cyclist Stephen Drew lost his leg above the knee in a shocking motorbike accident. But even as he was warned about a long, potentially limited recovery, the lifelong cyclist and adventurer wasn’t interested in their worst-case scenarios. Instead, he focused on the essentials. “I needed to stay fit, exercise and reduce stress,” Stephen said. “I was also told that I needed to keep my weight constant and in check as any fluctuation will make it difficult when fitting a prosthesis.” Early Recovery  In the early days of his recovery, Stephen initially sat on a stationary bike in a cycling studio to chat with friends while they pedaled. Then…

Long before he lost his leg, Cameron Kennedy worked closely with Challenge Aspen, a non-profit dedicated to supporting adaptive athletes year-round. His initial role with the group dates back to the winter of 2001/2002 when he volunteered as an Adaptive Assistant. That year he skied 120 days, about half of which were spent working with Challenge Aspen athletes and instructors. More recently, Cameron served on the organization’s board. And it was in Aspen—Snowmass resort, specifically—when Cameron sustained the accident that would transform him into an adaptive athlete. Although he doesn’t remember exactly what happened on February 20, 2021, the basic facts are that while carving down a groomer, he tumbled…