I've run 700 races with my disabled daughter because nothing can stop us

Stephan and his wife Diane adopted Chloe when she was 4 and a half years old. Chloe has a severe form of Cerebral Palsy.

One day, whilst on a trip to a garden centre, Chloe grabbed a tray and pulled herself three inches. This was the first movement she had ever done on her own. Then, Stephan started to play with Chloe, wheeling her around in her push chair.

He said: “It was three hours I wheeled round and round. It was a little game for her and it sparked something, it woke up something. That’s how it all started.”

Adding: “We started off that year. The Stafford 10K was our first race, and then we just built up from that.”

10 years ago, Stephan and Chloe first did the Manchester half-marathon and then their love of Manchester grew.

“We’ve promoted Manchester. They’ve been very, very great to help us. We love the atmosphere. We’ve done The Great Manchester Run last year and the year before.”

Adding: “It’s a bit chaotic travelling up and down the country, but we don’t mind.”

Stephan re-iterated that this journey of running with Chloe has purely been for the joy and excitement that it brings her, he said: “We’ve done triathlons, we’ve raced in Bermuda, Poland, Norway, France and Germany. In Norway, we did a marathon on a frozen lake. We made history on Father’s Day last year, we abseiled off the Forth Rail Bridge together and Chloe was in her wheelchair. So yes, she loves everything.”

Stephan and Chloe are now campaigning for more support for disabled people in sport, he said: “We are still campaigning for events to be open for disabled people, mild or severely. We’ve called it assisted running because I’m able-bodied and I can push Chloe. Some events allow us, some don’t.”

Adding: “But, it’s important. It can help reduce anxiety and depression for people, I often say to people to just imagine lying in bed, can’t move, can’t do anything and you’re reliant on able-bodied people to come and care for you. To be given a chance to go for a run or a walk, it changes peoples lives.”

For those debating getting active or even starting running yourself, Stephan said: “If you think you can you can.”

Adding: “Running is one of the sports I think that has the least prejudice, whatever colour you are, whatever religion you are, it doesn’t seem to have any nastiness. It just gives you the time to focus and clear your head.”

This year, Stephan and Chloe will be running in aid of Sale Sharks. Head to their JustGiving page for any donations: https://www.justgiving.com/page/stephan-chloe?utm_medium=FR&utm_source=CL&utm_campaign=015

Good Luck to Stephan & Chloe this weekend!