Most runners have never stopped to think about what it's like to race in a wheelchair.

Mary MacDonald is changing that.

At just 17 years old, Mary is already the 2026 Sports 'N Spokes Junior Athlete of the Year, the Massachusetts Ms. Amazing winner, and an aspiring Paralympian. But this conversation isn't about medals. It's about perspective.

Mary shares how depression, bullying, and a difficult childhood eventually led her to adaptive sports and how racing gave her purpose, confidence, and a dream bigger than she ever imagined.

Mary and I discuss the realities most runners never see:

• Why racing chairs can cost more than $20,000
• How airlines regularly damage racing equipment
• What race directors can do to create safer events
• Why wheelchair classifications are far more complicated than people realize
• The biggest safety mistakes runners make when wheelchair racers are passing
• What true inclusion at races actually looks like

Along the way, the conversation is filled with laughter, from Dunkin' coffee debates to chocolate cake, Kit Kats, and brownies, making this one of the most enjoyable and educational Fireside Chats yet.

Whether you're a runner, cyclist, triathlete, race director, volunteer, or simply someone who believes sport should be accessible to everyone, this episode will leave you seeing endurance sports through a completely different lens.

Because there really is a spot at the starting line for everybody and every body.

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