A JORDANHILL woman born with cerebral palsy will make history at the London Marathon later this year.
Dr Julie McElroy is the first female frame-runner to take part in the famous event, which will be held on April 21.
Julie took up the sport, which allows people with mobility challenges to run using specially designed frames, following a traumatic accident six years ago.
“The accident left me with an irreparable groin injury and in chronic pain, and in a wheelchair,” she explains.
“I was robbed of all my previous fitness pursuits - I couldn't even cycle or swim. My physiotherapist thought frame running would help, and I met a fantastic coach, Gordon Innes, at Victoria Park athletics club. It has been a game-changer.”
Glasgow Times readers have followed Julie’s journey since 2007, when we told the story of her 250-mile trek through the Andes, battling blizzards, extreme heat and crocodile-infested rivers.
She became a champion for disability rights, taking on challenge after challenge and confounding expectations. When she was a baby, her parents were told their daughter may never walk, but Julie defied the odds, took up mainstream sport and could ride a bike by the age of 10.
In 2012, Julie took on the mammoth challenge of trying her hand at all of the Paralympic sports featuring in the forthcoming Glasgow Commonwealth Games.
She teamed up with a coach or athlete from lawn bowls, athletics, track cycling, swimming and powerlifting, and spent two years learning how to compete.
In 2017, she graduated with a PhD in assistive technology from the University of the West of Scotland and later this year, she will receive her Masters in Business Administration (MBA) from the Open University.
Having faced obstacles throughout her life because of cerebral palsy, Julie rose to the challenge of recovering from her devastating accident with determination, and embarked on a rigorous frame-running training programme.
Frame-running involves a specially-made trike, a three-wheeled frame with a saddle and body plate to support the athlete. The athlete propels themselves against the frame with their feet – there are no pedals - and steers with their hands or arms.
Julie completed the Paisley 10k last year in just 57 minutes, and raised funds for Victoria Park by completing the 22-mile Glasgow Kiltwalk from Glasgow Green to Balloch.
READ NEXT: When Hollywood star added a touch of glamour to Singer sports in Clydebank
She is also a keen park-runner, taking part in the Victoria Park event, and hopes to help put frame-running on the map in Scotland.
“I started off doing track distances, then parkruns, 10ks and half marathons and then, the light bulb moment – an opportunity for the London Marathon came, which is the pinnacle for Gordon and I,” says Julie.
“I hope I can inspire others to believe that with determination and resilience, you can overcome even the most challenging circumstances.”
Comments & Moderation
Readers’ comments: You are personally liable for the content of any comments you upload to this website, so please act responsibly. We do not pre-moderate or monitor readers’ comments appearing on our websites, but we do post-moderate in response to complaints we receive or otherwise when a potential problem comes to our attention. You can make a complaint by using the ‘report this post’ link . We may then apply our discretion under the user terms to amend or delete comments.
Post moderation is undertaken full-time 9am-6pm on weekdays, and on a part-time basis outwith those hours.
Read the rules here