Marine Sgt. Zach Stinson will be one of many hand cyclists that will take on the 26.2 mile Marine Corps Marathon course around monuments, the Capitol and the streets of D.C. and Arlington.
Marine Sgt. Zach Stinson was on patrol in Afghanistan in 2010 when he stepped on an improvised explosive device.
“I stepped down with my left leg and it was just like a pogo stick. Just boom into the air,” Stinson told WTOP. “I never lost consciousness … I was kind of bent in half, I couldn’t move.”
He was medevacked out of the area and woke up six days later at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center. He lost several fingers and both legs above the knee, undergoing 25 surgeries before beginning his rehab process.
“I like to use the saying, like, there’s no how-to guide on getting blown up,” Stinson said with some humor.
Stinson joined the Marine Corps because he liked being active and pushing his physical limits. That desire still burned in him while he was recovering, leading him to learn new sports. One new sport he instantly clicked with was hand cycling.
“It’s something I’ve really enjoyed doing over the past couple of years,” Stinson said.
He did his first of many Marine Corps Marathons in 2012. Since then, he has steadily gotten better, winning both the Boston Marathon and Detroit Marathon in the hand cycling event this year.
“I enjoy, honestly, just putting myself through a little bit of pain. There’s no growth without stress,” he said about his cycling.
The Pennsylvania native has raced the Marine Corps Marathon numerous times before.
He said after his first marathon he has been more cognizant of the scenery that surrounds him during the race, and he enjoys taking small moments to cherish the sights and the Wear Blue Mile, which honors fallen veterans.
“I have seen pictures of my friends and it kind of gives me something to think about for the remainder of the race,” Stinson said.
This year, Stinson will be cycling the marathon for the first time alongside other service members to support veteran nonprofit Semper Fi & America’s Fund.
“A lot of the equipment that I have received, I got help with from the fund. So I’m very, very grateful for that,” Stinson said.
Another new addition for this year’s race is someone he’ll be sharing the finish line with: his wife. She will be running the Marine Corps Marathon this year and they are both looking forward to a finishing celebration of a cold beer and all-you-can-eat at Fogo De Chao.
The Marine Corps Marathon will be Stinson’s last of the year, but he has big plans for 2024. His hopes are to represent the U.S. in hand cycling events at the Paralympics Games in Paris.
