On the Run with Sarah Heller

Everyone knows people who see the proverbial glass as half-full. But anyone who has ever met Sarah Heller, who has been coming to the JCC since 2010, would undoubtedly agree that her glass is truly “overflowing.”

Heller, 44, has participated in more than four dozen marathons, half-marathons, and triathlons since 2011. For most, training for and participating in even one such event would be an impressive undertaking. But for Heller, who had to relearn how to walk and talk after a car accident at age 9 left her with a traumatic brain injury, such an accomplishment is nothing short of extraordinary.

This November will mark the seventh year Heller is running the New York City Marathon, with the assistance of a team of trainers from Achilles International, which pairs volunteers with disabled athletes to train for and participate in triathlons, marathons, half-marathons, and other long-distance events. The role of the volunteers, called guides, varies by event. During road races, they run alongside athletes; in open water events, guides and athletes swim together, but guides may be in or out of the pool during training; and for biking, the pair uses a tandem bike, with the guide taking the lead. Achilles athletes train in the JCC pool several weekday mornings and on Saturdays, when facilities including the pool are open free of charge to underserved children and adults from across the city through our Saturday Morning Community Partners program.

That Heller is even alive today, much less the holder of approximately 50 athletic medals, is something her parents and eight older sisters never expected, following the accident in which she was initially pronounced dead. Successfully resuscitated, she was put in a medically induced coma for a month, and then spent several more months in the hospital and rehab. “Doctors told us we would be lucky if she recognized us,” recalls her sister Christine Seaman. “The prognosis was grim.”

But Heller surprised everyone—completing high school in her Westchester town, then moving to Arizona to live with another sister and take classes there. This was followed by a move to Oregon, where she took more classes, and even became a member of a dragon boat team. She did not become a serious runner, swimmer, or biker until she moved to NYC in 2010.

Prior to Heller’s arrival, Seaman had discovered Achilles International, which seemed a perfect fit for someone who would benefit from community and activity. Always excited to try new things, Heller signed up with Achilles her very first day in town and has been training and competing with them ever since, losing 50 pounds in the process. “It’s the best!” she says. “You’re like a VIP when you’re running.”

Just as quickly, she started participating in Adaptations programs, offered through the JCC’s Jack and Shirley Silver Center for Special Needs.

Achilles members do not have to qualify to participate in a marathon, but they must be a member of Achilles prior to the previous year’s event, which made Heller eligible to run in the New York City Marathon in 2011. Athletes run in Central Park two mornings a week, and are matched with guides who run at their pace—Heller runs a 12- to 13-minute mile.

Another two days each week are devoted to biking and swim training. Heller and other athletes ride tandem bikes in Central Park with their guides for about two hours, then head to the JCC for a dance class followed by swim training.

“The bike takes the most focus," she says. "If you’re fine on the bike, you go really fast, and that’s the most fun.... They say I don’t pedal, but I do!”

Through the JCC, 20 Achilles tri-athletes are offered complimentary fitness memberships. “These athletes are an inspirational part of our health and wellness community,” says JCC Chief Health and Wellness Officer Todd Elkins. “As they overcome their challenges to achieve amazing athletic accomplishments, they inspire all of us to work hard at becoming the best we can be.”

Heller delights in swimming at the JCC, but ranks navigating the Hudson River during the New York City Triathlon among her peak experiences. “How many times do you get to swim in the Hudson River?“ she marvels.

Training for and competing in events brings her great joy, but nothing beats the medals. After each race, she confesses, she wears her medal to bed.

In addition to her training, Heller is proud of her work as a greeter at Shake Shack (which has treated her and her guides to meals following several races) and her participation in Daniel’s Music Foundation, which offers free music classes to people with disabilities. Heller met Daniel Trush, the foundation’s inspiration and cofounder, through the JCC; she sings and dances, has started to learn to play piano, and has performed in concerts with the group.

Heller professes an overwhelming gratitude for everything she has been given since moving to New York City. “I’m so surprised to have been able to do these things. It would be so easy not to do what I do. A whole new world opened for me here.

“I’m really blown away by everything--blown away about my life. I learned that you can do anything if you put your mind to it.”

Sherri Lerner is the former editorial director at the Marlene Meyerson JCC Manhattan. She has written and edited for numerous publications and is currently on the staff of the Wechsler Center.