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About three years ago, Janelle Robinson saw a video that pulled at her heartstrings and set her mind in motion to help local disabled children participate in road races.

The video was about Team Hoyt, a father (Dick Hoyt) and son (Rick Hoyt) from Massachusetts, who compete together in marathons, triathlons and other athletic competitions. Rick has cerebral palsy.

Dick Hoyt pushes his son in a wheelchair when they run, carries him in a seat up front as they bike and pulls him in a boat as they swim.

“I cry every time I watch one of their videos or read their stories,” Robinson said. “I want to touch the life of someone in the way Dick has with athletics for his son.”

A runner for 15 years and the mother of two healthy, young children, Robinson came up with the idea to start the Miles for Smiles club, an effort to push special needs children in strollers in road races.

“Running is my passion, and I want them to be able to see what it feels like, too — coming up to the finish line, people cheering you on, crossing the finish line, to get a finisher’s medal at the end,” Robinson said.

Robinson has about 10 runners and donated strollers ready to go for the first race scheduled, the Cannonball 5K on Oct. 11 at Country Park, but so far no kids to participate.

“We’re seeking any child who cannot otherwise run in a race, handicapped or sick,” she said. “So far the only restrictions are weight-based — up to maybe 50 pounds, and we have some special-needs strollers that go up to 200 pounds or so.”

Robinson hopes to do four races a year, starting with 5Ks and then branching out to triathlons.
“I know so many runners ready and willing to push children,” she said. “Right now, there is no limit. I could probably get at least 50 runners if I had that many kids.”

The race is free to the children, with Off ’N Running, covering the registration fees.
A full-time, stay-at-home mother, Robinson taught at Northwest Middle School for five years. She started a running club at the school that had more than 100 children involved in its first year. Her most recent personal races include the Victory Junction 5K and the Marine Corps Marathon.

“I am so blessed to have two healthy children, but every day, I think of how precious life is, and tomorrow I could find out one of my kids is sick,” Robinson said. “I would still want them to enjoy running like their mommy does.”

Robinson said her main goal in forming the Miles for Smiles club is to make children happy.

“What is more important than putting a smile on a child’s face or giving them the experience of actually crossing the finish line that otherwise they would only be able to watch, or as a mom giving that to another mother’s child?” she said. “It is a small way that runners in the community can use what they love to bring joy to someone else’s life.”

Robinson also thinks the club gives runners something to feel good about in hard economic times.

“I think it’s important to our community because it embodies what community is — people helping people,” she said. “If you can’t run, then we’ll push you — a simple way in these tough times to help brighten someone else’s day.”