Friday, May 16, 2008

Wheelchair Racers







I had the fortune to shoot the Chicago Marathon in 2006 and 2007 at the FrontRunners water table location. It is always an enjoyable shoot but the weather can be quite unpredictable in October. In 2006 it was snowing when we arrived. In 2007, the race was halted due to the extreme heat.

There is a group of marathoners that always impresses me. They are the wheelchair racers. The dedication shown by these athletes is an inspiration to me and I always enjoy photographing them. One athlete in particular, Joshua George, was recently featured in a New York Times article entitled A Blur of Hands, Spokes and Determination written by Alan Schwarz.

The article highlights George who will be participating in the 2008 Paralympic Games to be held in Beijing two weeks after the Olympics. I have been fortunate to photograph George and other wheelchair racers at the Chicago Marathon. I hope you enjoy the photos as much as I have enjoyed taking them.