Husband and wife take on marathons with a racing wheelchair and a mission
Jamie and Amy Shinneman are teaming up for their fifth marathon, with him on foot and her in a racing wheelchair.
August 28, 2026 / 9:02 AM EDT / CBS News
When marathoner Jamie Shinneman gears up for his long runs, he'll scarf down a carb-heavy breakfast, lace up his shoes and leave home with the one thing that most runners don't have — a teammate.
For training runs as long as 20 miles in Noblesville, Indiana, the 53-year-old runs while pushing his wife, Amy Shinneman, in a three-wheeled racing wheelchair they call a "duo bike."
Jamie is the engine. Amy is the compass. As a "Duo Team," the high school sweethearts have crossed the finish line of four marathons since 2019. It's an achievement that would mean a lot to any runner, but especially for Amy, who has never been able to run independently.
"My duo partner helps me to see beyond, sometimes, my limited vision of myself. And I think it's a good lesson," Amy said.
Amy was born with a neuromuscular disease that was officially diagnosed in 2018 as Bethlem myopathy, a rare form of muscular dystrophy that causes progressive muscle weakness and affects mobility.