Humbly Courageous is on the road again

On Saturday, May 2, team Humbly Courageous took on the iconic 500 Festival Mini-Marathon in downtown Indianapolis. My husband had run this race solo once, but we had not yet run it as a duo bike team.

Our boys also joined our duo team making this our second half-marathon as a family. Not to mention the team of family and friends that walked or ran that day in support of us.

At each race, there are unique ways in which they accommodate athletes with disabilities. Some are much more accommodating and prepared than others. We always appreciate being able to start before the masses. That is not only safer for us, but also for all the runners.

This race allowed the duo teams to start before the crowds. We were able to start the race along with our boys, which was comforting. This race had more duo teams than we have ever run with, which was very cool to see.

My husband and I went into this race the least prepared we had ever been leading up to a race. We had exactly ONE training run before the mini. We usually train once a week for a few months leading up to each race. There were life demands that kept us from doing that this time.

Going into it, he was grateful to have the boys to support him, as he needed them that day.

When we started the race, it was only 39 degrees! Luckily, the adrenaline helps to warm us up before a big race like this. I had many layers on and lots of hand and body warmers. I even have a battery powered heated jacket. I do not mess around with the cold, as that can cause my body a lot of pain and weakness.

It was sunny, so that helped. A few miles in, we did not even notice the chilly temperatures. It was perfect running weather.

Some things we saw this race that we have never seen before:

• We saw a group of five men, running in a caterpillar costume trying to set a fastest half-marathon in a five-person costume Guinness World Record (they did!).
• We saw an 11-year-old boy running by us, who we later found out set a world record for fastest half-marathon for someone his age.
• We saw a guy running in a “Where’s Waldo” costume.
• And we saw a man dressed as a bottle of ketchup cheering people on.

I love the unique things you see during these races!

It never gets old seeing how excited people get when the duo teams go by. It is obvious that people are moved, seeing the teamwork involved in these races for the duo teams.

At the start, when they were mentioning the duo teams, they gave a shoutout to the pushers, which is of course well deserved, but they also mentioned how hard the riders work along the way as well. In all the races I have done, I have never heard that mentioned. It was so nice to hear us acknowledged as well.

It is true that the riders have our own race “stresses” to figure out along the way. We have to work to adjust our bodies and care for our wellbeing during the race, too. When the boys run with us, I oversee three people’s “nutrition” and make sure they have what they need. The emotional load can be heavy, but I love playing that role for them. Think of me as the team manager.

The highlight was running on the track at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. Our boys stopped to “kiss the bricks.” It was neat to see the track from that perspective.

As we crossed our second finish line as a family of four, my boys grabbed my hands and with my husband pushing behind, we crossed the finish line to our first-place duo team finish. It was a beautiful moment in time.

My disability has brought us closer as a family. We are grateful for the life lessons it teaches us, and the opportunities it brings. The incredible humans we cross paths with along the way are the icing on top.

Until next time …

Amy Shinneman is a former National Ambassador for the Muscular Dystrophy Association, disability blogger, freelance writer, wife, and mom of two boys. She is the recipient of the Reporter’s Winter 2025 Ink-Stained Wretch award. You can find her blog at humblycourageous.com and reach her on Instagram @ashinneman.