What does it mean to be part of Team Tvilling?

Written by guest blogger Kristina Hyre, Twins with Mette

In short, Team Tvilling is a sports project where able joggers run with people that do not have the ability or possibility to run. The concept was stated by twins Steen and Peder. Peder is diagnosed with cerebral palsy, however the two have not let this stop them, and have together completed KMD Ironman in Copenhagen in 2014 as the first twins ever in world history.

Team Tvilling has made it possible for able joggers and people that do not have the ability to run to form a strong community with shared goals and dreams. The disabled participants also experience what it is like being looked at as a runner, rather than a disabled person. The strong community feel, joy and the proof that disabled people can participate in sports on equal terms as able people, has been passed on to several departments around Denmark and even in Norway.

To me, running gives me the opportunity to disconnect from everyday tasks and to-do list and gives me a personal space to clear my thoughts. When I heard about Team Tvilling, I thought it would be a great way to find running partners while also helping others. When I started as a volunteer runner in Team Tvilling, I had no idea of the great community I had become part of and what it would come to mean to me. Today, three years later, I have been part of Team Tvilling Nothern Jutland and Team Tvilling Aarhus, and it has given me a ton of great and irreplaceable friendships and amazing and unforgettable running experiences that I wouldn’t miss for the world.

My running partner Mette also adds: "Running with Team Tvilling has given me a completely different life with a new and positive outlook on life in general. There is a really strong sense of team spirit when we run together. Great conversation both before, during and after the run and this only adds to the cheerful mood. I love being out among other people. The runners in Team Tvilling embrace us for who we are and not just a person in a wheelchair. Therefore, I ALWAYS look forward to training and for the lovely runs that we have together."

For me as a runner, it is fantastic to able to be a part of a cause where sport is for everyone and where lasting friendships are made.