This is a running love story like NO other. Since I started writing stories 29 years ago - when I graduated from the University of Regina's School of Journalism - I have never come across a story like this.
Michael Branstetter became paralyzed - with no mobility from his armpits down - from an accident in a senior hockey game in Shellbrook on Feb. 9, 2001. At the time, the doctors gave him eight to 12 years of life expectancy.
Today - almost 26 years later - Michael and his partner Corrie Sinclair are blazing a trail through the Saskatchewan running scene. With Corrie pushing Michael in his specialized running wheelchair (at nearly 200 pounds of weight), the pair finished the QCM half-marathon in Regina last weekend in a stunning 1:52.
It's an amazing story on so many levels. "It's almost an endorphin release for me," said Michael. "I get to be outdoors and moving through life at a speed I couldn't do in a power wheelchair."
This love affair with running started three years ago when Corrie pushed Michael in the Step Up for Mental Health run in Saskatoon. Michael enjoyed the taste of being inside the running scene from his chair - and Corrie knew what she had to do next.
"I knew if he could be in a racing bike... I ordered (the racing wheelchair) that day," she exclaimed.
"I was jacked," said Michael, remember that fall day three years ago.
Ever since, the pair has been inseparable in life and their quest to be on the trails and roads. While they started as friends 14 years ago, they started dating three years ago and are now engaged.
And it's easy to see that running is something that drives them. "I will do whatever it takes to run," said Corrie. "Running together gives us both what we need. We have a better relationship because of running. It is so good for our life."
The pair's next running goal is the Saskatchewan Challenge at Step Up for Mental Health - presented by Cameco - on September 26 & 27. The Challenge involves Corrie pushing Michael in the half-marathon on September 26 AND then returning the next day to tackle the 10K distance.
And if that isn't enough, Corrie will also run the 5K on September 27 with members of her family.
"It's become a lifestyle," said Corrie when asked about the importance of running. But while they turn heads on the Meewasin Trail while they train, what people don't see is the enormous amount of prep work behind the scenes at home.
Michael is on a ventilator for breathing. "He can never be left alone," continued Corrie. So, the pair has a very careful routine while getting ready to run - with Corrie getting herself and Michael ready before transferring wheelchairs and loading into their special van. It is a process that takes 2.5 to 3 hours before they start to run.
But it's worth it for both of them. For proof, just ask Michael how excited he is for Step Up for Mental Health. "We can't wait," he proclaimed.
