I Ran 100 Marathons as a Paralympian – Disabilities Shouldn't Isolate

Richard Whitehead had never run a mile in his life when he decided to take on the New York Marathon in 2004 with a double bilateral knee amputation. Born and raised in Nottingham, the now-Paralympian continued to make strides to live his life without limits, despite his disability. Showing his true determination, Richard trained by running on his knees using sports cups ahead of his first 26-mile race and only received prosthetic running legs 13 days before.

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Twenty-one years later, Richard's running journey has come full circle, having completed his 100th marathon in New York in November in 2h 57min, compared to 2004's 5h 19min. "When I finished the marathon in 2004, I thought it was probably going to be my one and only, so to now have done 100, it’s pretty crazy," the 49-year-old said.

He continued: "I never thought I would get to run 100 marathons. When I ran my first one, I did it for charity and for my personal accomplishment. When you start your marathon journey as somebody that’s not experienced, you don’t realise the implication of running 26 miles and the impact it has on your body. It will have a massive effect physically, mentally and emotionally."

Richard's motivation to keep going is rooted in a combination of the freedom running gives him, getting to travel all over the world and reaching different milestones. With lots of plans in the pipeline for 2026, he said: "Marathons should be enjoyed. It’s not all about the distance you run or the time that you finish but about the memories and experiences you create along the journey."

Richard's running habits "changed massively" over the past two decades, as the double-Paralympic gold medallist explained he is now more prepared with his warm-ups and nutrition. But despite his incredible sporting achievements, the four-time world champion still faces daily inequality and discrimination. Being stared at, filmed or asked inappropriate questions are all challenges Richard faces every day.

He said: "People with disabilities that look different, sound different or have behaviours that their able-bodied counterparts don’t understand or relate to - these can all become a real barrier to everything, including education, employment and participation in sport. People can become afraid to come out of their homes or to interact with people because of discrimination. The disability world is still underrepresented. Until you have an empathetic ear or eye towards the disability community, you don’t realise that. I’m a disabled person 365 days a year so you just develop coping mechanisms. The wider community needs to have better empathy towards the disability community. Disabilities should be resourceful, not isolating."

Richard explained that discrimination can only be tackled through education, starting with the younger generations. In 2021, Richard set up the Richard Whitehead Foundation to help disabled people be happier and healthier by inspiring them to get active. He said: "It’s fantastic to be able to support other people on their journeys through the Richard Whitehead Foundation. A lot of young people are very inquisitive about my journey, including abled people. They come across obstacles and ask me how to navigate them and what strategies to approach. Running is a real community initiative that breaks down so many barriers. You don’t need to share the same dialect, sexuality, gender or religion - running just brings people together."