The first time Paralympian Daniel Romanchuk competed in the wheelchair division of the New York City Marathon in 2018, he won it. Six years later, with several more marathons and Paralympic medals to his name, he returns to the course on Sunday, November 3.

The hills make this race one of his favorites, and the crowds of spectators add to the experience. “It’s great. Everyone comes out to watch the marathon,” says Romanchuk, who has spina bifida. He also thrives on the competition. “We’re often so bunched together you don’t know what’s going to happen,” he says. “It keeps things exciting.”

Romanchuk was diagnosed with spina bifida in utero at 17 weeks. This neural tube defect happens during pregnancy when the spine and spinal cord do not develop completely, leaving an opening. Symptoms vary considerably—from none at all to bladder and bowel dysfunction, sensory loss, cognitive difficulties, and paralysis—depending on the location of the opening in the spine and whether the spinal cord and nerves are affected.

Romanchuk is unable to walk and uses a wheelchair. At an early age, he joined Bennet Blazers, an adaptive sports program, where he swam, played sled hockey and wheelchair basketball, and did wheelchair racing. He eventually moved to Illinois to pursue wheelchair racing full time.

Now 26, he’s racked up numerous accolades through the years, becoming the American record holder in the 800 and 5,000 meters and earning two gold and two bronze medals at the Paralympics, most recently competing in Paris last summer. He currently trains with the University of Illinois’ wheelchair racing program, working out for about 90 minutes once or twice a day, six days a week. During the spring and fall—marathon season—the team is often out on the road, racking up mileage and pushing the pace.

Competing in marathons is more than just an adrenaline rush for Romanchuk. It’s a chance to show others what is possible for people with spina bifida and other disabilities. “I was never told that I couldn’t do something because I’m disabled,” he says. “Growing up with that mentality has been vital in getting to where I am today.”

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Romanchuk’s experience with the Bennet Blazers inspired him to start his own charity, Wheels for Change, which educates people about wheelchair racing and offers short-term equipment loans to aspiring athletes until they can get their own. Entry-level racing chairs typically cost around $5,000, he says. That price makes wheelchair racing prohibitively expensive for many athletes, especially those in less affluent parts of the world. Through another branch of his charity, Bridging Borders, Romanchuk supplies wheelchairs to a group in Ghana, where a fellow racer identifies athletes who may have a future in the sport.

Like any passionate advocate, Romanchuk encourages people interested in wheelchair racing to contact their local adaptive sports program, which exist across the country. “Go for it,” he says. “Have fun with it.”