Written by: Dennis Vanderheiden
I started Athletes in Tandem in 2008 after seeing a mini documentary of Dick and Rick Hoyt. The thought of sharing my passion of triathlon with individuals who did not have the same abilities as myself seemed like a good idea. It helped me focus on others instead of my own personal athletic achievements. And since our inception we have inspired many others around the country to become active and participate in mainstream events.
Training for NorthShore has been going well. I'm up to 20 miles on my inline skates here in Fort Collins, CO. We have a bike path that works well to train on as it keeps me away from automobile traffic.
I was fortunate to find Gwen, my racing partner for NorthShore, through a network of families with kids that have Angelman Syndrome. Angelman Syndrome (AS) is a rare neuro-genetic disorder that occurs in one in 15,000 live births. Angelman Syndrome is often misdiagnosed as Cerebral Palsy or Autism due to lack of awareness. Characteristics of the disorder include developmental delay, lack of speech, seizures, and walking and balance disorders. Individuals with Angelman Syndrome require life-long care. Gwen and her family live in Cedar Rapids, IA and are excited to get involved with Athletes in Tandem. Gwen's father, Mike, is a runner and our hope is that he and Gwen start racing on a regular basis to add to their quality of life as a family.
Training for NorthShore has been going well. I'm up to 20 miles on my inline skates here in Fort Collins, CO. We have a bike path that works well to train on as it keeps me away from automobile traffic.
I was fortunate to find Gwen, my racing partner for NorthShore, through a network of families with kids that have Angelman Syndrome. Angelman Syndrome (AS) is a rare neuro-genetic disorder that occurs in one in 15,000 live births. Angelman Syndrome is often misdiagnosed as Cerebral Palsy or Autism due to lack of awareness. Characteristics of the disorder include developmental delay, lack of speech, seizures, and walking and balance disorders. Individuals with Angelman Syndrome require life-long care. Gwen and her family live in Cedar Rapids, IA and are excited to get involved with Athletes in Tandem. Gwen's father, Mike, is a runner and our hope is that he and Gwen start racing on a regular basis to add to their quality of life as a family.