Baer School hosts special needs triathlon

BALTIMORE -  

The Baer School in Baltimore is home to some of the most unique athletes in the city.  To showcase this group of very special talent, they hosted the 2 ^nd Annual "Baerathon," a triathlon that features its own student athletes; athletes so special that Lynne Bricks, from Baltimore’s Brick Bodies, volunteered to warm them up.

Students at the Baer School are special needs children and have little to no mobility.

"So our students as you can see a lot of them use wheelchairs to get around or walkers, and this is a great way to allow these students to show off their athletic skills in a way that they're actually able to compete with one another," Amanda Danks who works at the Baer School said.

Teaming up with athlete volunteers from area high schools, colleges, and businesses serve as wingmen to give these competitors the support they need to complete the running, cycling, and water challenges.

"We pair them up with able bodied athletes, they run in teams," Dave Slomkowski from Athletes Serving Atheletes said.

A clean start and competitive juices takeover and friendships are formed when legs that cannot move now travel at Olympic speed.

"It's definitely an eye opening experience seeing these kids not being able to run and not being able to function like we can and being able to help them like we're helping them now is awesome,"  Erika, a senior at RPCS said.

Then comes the transition from running to cycling, these athletes are like drivers in pit row, waiting for the pit crew to finish so they can get back into the action.

" Brings smiles sometimes they probably don't feel their best and we come in and we really enjoy helping everyone out,”  CiCi, a junior from RPCS said.

Through this triathlon, bonds are formed, life lessons are taught, and when the race is finished, there are no losers, only winners.