FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Amputee Runner Shatters More Records at Chicago Marathon
Hicksville, NY (PRWEB) October 24, 2006 -- On a chilly windy day at the
Chicago Marathon on Sunday October 22, Amy Palmerio-Winters, of Meadville,
PA shattered another marathon record for female amputee runners. Running on
two broken toes not completely healed on her non amputated leg, and
spending Thursday and Friday in the hospital due to anaphylactic shock, Ms.
Palmerio-Winters finished the LaSalle Bank Chicago Marathon in a time of 3
hours 4 minutes and 16 seconds placing 34th in her age group and 148th in
the entire field of able-bodied female marathoners.
Palmerio-Winters previous best marathon time with her new running
prosthesis was 3:26 at the Rite Aid Cleveland Marathon this past May. Prior
to that, the best marathon time for a female amputee was 3:52. What is
noteworthy is that the time of 3:04 broke her best marathon time of 3:16 at
the Boston Marathon which she achieved prior to her limb loss from a
motorcycle accident.
Palmerio-Winters, a 34-year-old welder and mother of two, lost her left leg
below the knee following a 1994 motorcycle accident. Three years and
twenty-five surgeries later, her left leg was amputated below the knee.
Following the amputation, it took three years before Palmerio-Winters could
even try to run again.
"I was told in 1994 I wouldn't run again," Palmerio-Winters said. "That lit
a spark in me; I got a second chance in life with this special prosthesis."
After receiving her customized running prosthesis in February of this year
from Erik Schaffer C.P., President of A Step Ahead Prosthetics & Orthotics
in Long Island, NY, Palmerio-Winters was provided extensive professional
coaching and training as a member of Team A Step Ahead. This
multidisciplinary approach to her training regimen involves a team of
prosthetists, physical therapists, Phil Kreuter and Dave Balsley, who have
expertise in training elite athletes with disabilities and support from
many accomplished amputee athletes who also are Team A Step Ahead members.
Having qualified for the 2007 Boston Marathon where she set her
pre-amputation best time, Ms. Palmerio-Winters plans on breaking the 3 hour
mark in the Marathon and hopes to achieve the fastest time for all
amputees, male and female.
"I eventually plan to also do the Ironman Triathlon in Hawaii," said
Palmerio-Winters, who lists being the first female amputee to run a
100-mile ultra marathon as another future goal. Palmerio-Winters is also an
accomplished triathelte, where she is highly competitive against
able-bodied triathletes. She has won the last two Olympic distance
triathlon world championships.
A Step Ahead Prosthetics & Orthotics is located in Hicksville, New York.
The facility sponsors Team A Step Ahead, a group of elite amputee athletes
from around the world who compete in events including the Hawaii Ironman
Triathlon, multiple marathons, road races around the world and the
Paralympic Games. Team A Step Ahead's members have been very competitive
against able-bodied athletes, placing and wining age group awards. These
elite athletes hold or have held world records in the 100m, 200m, 400m,
track and field events, marathons and triathlons. Members receive training
from coaches, prosthetists and physical therapists that are experts in
working with amputee athletes, including world record holding Paralympians.
The company’s motto is "Live Life Without Limitations." For additional
information on A Step Ahead Prosthetics and Orthotics and Team A Step Ahead
visit www.astepaheadonline.com. Photos are available upon request.
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