OUR MISSION
The mission of Mind over Miles is to give athletes with disabilities the opportunity to train for, participate in, and complete a marathon by providing access through reasonable accommodations.
OUR PRINCIPLES
The three foundational principles of Mind over Miles are as follows: Persistence, Unity, and Character.
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People so often want to define others by their abilities (or disabilities), but our athletes have shown that they are instead defined by our principles. They are persistent throughout the completion of a long-term goal by seeing it through to the end; they stick together and encourage one another, even when training is difficult; and they consistently demonstrate a high degree of character in their personal lives. This is why Mind over Miles is so proud of them and why they have such a strong community supporting them.
OUR STORY
Mind over Miles began in 2017 as Team Finish Line. Danielle Levesque and Heather Turner, Special Education teachers and friends, desired to create a unique opportunity for athletes from Special Olympics to participate in a unified event with other members of the Columbus community. In addition, they hoped to see athletes learn how to accomplish long-term goals and practice healthy habits that will be useful throughout their lives.
Team Finish Line kicked off in April 2018 in partnership with Special Olympics Ohio. The team of 11 athletes trained for 6 months and participated in the Nationwide Children's Hospital Columbus Marathon on October 21st, 2018. For the 2019 season, TFL has changed its name to Mind over Miles and expanded to a team of 16 athletes.
HOW IT WORKS
Mind over Miles athletes spend the spring and summer months training to complete the Nationwide Children's Hospital Columbus Marathon with accommodations. They register for the marathon as participants and receive a bib number.
During the training season, athletes run or walk 25.2 miles and submit the logs to their coaches. They also have the opportunity to participate in cross-training activities (such as yoga), other local races with members of Mind over Miles, and sessions on healthy habits led by members of the local community.
Athletes are paired with a running buddy and on race day, they run or walk the final mile of the marathon - on the course, with fireworks, music blaring, and the city cheering them on.
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ABOUT US