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Get to know: Paralympic Medalist, Track World Champion and Aurora Native Joe Berenyi
Get to know: Paralympic Medalist, Track World Champion and Aurora Native Joe Berenyi
How does Joe Berenyi bring it home? By proudly representing Chicago as a Paralympic medalist and World Cup leader. In the 90s, Joe fell in love with competitive racing, but his dreams were derailed when he lost his right arm and left kneecap in an accident.
Twelve years later, he learned to ride a bike again. His passion for fitness and competition only grew and, in 2009, he was winning local bike races until a local coach introduced him to para-cycling. By 2011, he was on the national para-cycling team. He’s trained year-round, six days a week, to hopefully head to Brazil. We’re proud to call him a member of Chicago’s Team!
Typical training schedule: Joe trains all year long, six days a week, one to four hours a day. Occasionally, he’ll do a six-hour ride.
Eating habits while training: Joe eats a diet filled with lean protein, healthy fats and good carbs. He eats a lot of pasta, chicken breast, olive oil vegetables and drinks a lot of coffee and carbonated water.
Athletic superstitions: Joe wears the same competition clothing at subsequent races after he wins wearing it. He does wash it between races.
Chicago roots: Joe is from Aurora, Illinois. His grandfather was born and raised on the north side of Chicago and his aunt and cousins still live in the city.
Favorite thing about Chicago: Joe loves the city’s architecture, culture and people; the Chicago community is made up of a group of diverse people who work hard and come together as one.
Favorite Chicago food: Deep dish pizza.
Plan a day touring Chicago: If Joe were taking a friend around Chicago for the day, Millennium Park, the Architectural Boat Tour, and Skydeck Chicago would be on the agenda. He’d also be sure to stop for deep dish pizza and Italian beef.
