Eau Claire (WQOW) - Pure Water Days returned for its 36th year in Chippewa Falls this weekend. The YMCA says more than 500 people signed up for its Pure Water Days Race. One competitor had a little extra motivation in the race, battling cerebral palsy that has limited her to a walker or her wheelchair for the last 15 years.
Sarah Schemenauer is one of hundreds participating in Saturday's YMCA Pure Water Days Race in Chippewa Falls. But her journey to get here separates the 25 year-old from the others.
"I wanted to try and build up enough muscle to get back on my canes so that I could be more mobile. And so that I wouldn't have to carry the walker around, I could just grab the two crutches and go," Schemenauer said.
Sarah was born three and a half months premature, and as a result, developed cerebral palsy. With muscles in her lower extremities that spasm and contract, she hadn't used her crutches for fifteen years. That is, until she started training.
"When I set a goal, I set out to accomplish it. I don't go halfway and then quit," said Schemenauer. "Basically the first thought in my head is "don't fall, don't trip," but just look out at what's ahead of me, and make sure I don't have my cane on a rock or something...just to keep moving forward and don't stop."
And she never did, finishing with a personal best time of 37 minutes and 22 seconds.
"I literally just wanted to find my chair, and sit down. But as soon as I crossed that finish line, I thought to myself "I did it, I've accomplished it, I've conquered my goal," Schemenauer said. "If I didn't have the support I had from my parents, and brother, and his fiancee, and my nephew, and just my friends here and throughout, I don't know where I'd be. Just to finish knowing I had that support was amazing. It was breathtaking."
That mile was just a small part of her road towards recovery. She goes to the YMCA early every morning lifting weights and working on her cardio.
