Jason and Rand – A dynamic duo sets their eyes on a Guinness World Record

By Asia Schmok

Picture courtesy of the Symbiathletic Facebook page

Rand Surbey lives with cerebral palsy, a condition that limits his motor skills. He uses a powerchair to get around and a soundboard to communicate. However, this has not stopped him from going out and living an active life to the fullest.

He and Jason Cole are a dynamic duo that have built quite the reputation for themselves by participating in runs and even the Tough Mudder obstacle course, which they’ll be competing at in Whistler again this weekend. They are constantly breaking barriers and proving that no challenge is too big for them to conquer.

Breaking Records

Their latest goal is to break the Guinness World Record for fastest wheelchair team competing in a half marathon. And they’re going to do it running for Team CPABC in the Scotiabank Charity Challenge on June 26^th, 2016.

Surbey and Cole have been friends for 6 years and Cole is also the founder of Symbiathletic. The organization pairs “drivers”, like Surbey, and “engines”, like Cole, together to participate in experiences like these runs. Cole has also designed custom wheelchairs to withstand the conditions of these different events.

Just because he’s in a wheelchair doesn’t mean he doesn’t want to be out and doing these things.

For the upcoming half marathon, Surbey’s wheelchair will be dressed up as Pac-Man and Cole will run dressed as a pink ghost. “What that does is it makes a bit of a spectacle of us, but then we use that as a bit of a platform to say that just because he’s in a wheelchair doesn’t mean he doesn’t want to be out and doing these things,” Cole says. “Just because he can’t yell and scream like everyone else doesn’t mean he doesn’t want to be a part of the excitement.”

More smiles per mile

Seeing the two of them interact, it is clear they share a deep bond. They can communicate without Surbey’s soundboard, from body language and hand gestures. This bond is what makes them such a great and competitive team, and the hours of training can’t hurt either! Even their slowest time for the half marathon (1 hour 45 minutes) is 45 minutes under the current Guinness World Record.

“I mean he’s really got a lot of obstacles to overcome,” said Cole. “For the amount of things he has to deal with on a day to day basis, he smiles more than anyone else I know and he does more, I have a hell of a time keeping up with him!”

We wish them the best of luck on the 26^th and we hope you will join us in cheering them on. With their determination, we can’t help but feel confident in their abilities!

You can also catch Jason Cole and Rand Surbey talking about their Guinness World Record attempt on Breakfast Television on June 23^rd, 2016 at 7:40 AM.

Click here to sponsor Jason and Rand’s Symbiathletic team in the Scotiabank Charity Challenge. You can also register to run the half marathon or 5K until 11:59 on Monday, June 20^th, 2016. Remember to use the charity code 16VCPABC to get a discount and to show us your support.