Key keywords: RBC Brooklyn Half 2026, amputee female runner, mother-daughter running team, adaptive athletics, post-accident running inspiration, NYC road racing, disability sports representation, adaptive prosthetic running The 2026 RBC Brooklyn Half Marathon, one of the most beloved and well-attended road races in the United States, delivered countless memorable moments this year, but no story captured the hearts of attendees and virtual viewers quite like that of 38-year-old Park Slope resident Clara Bennett, who crossed the 13.1-mile finish line hand-in-hand with her 16-year-old daughter Lila, 18 months after losing the lower portion of her left leg in a 2024 traffic collision. A lifelong recreational runner who had registered for the 2024 edition of the Brooklyn Half just three weeks before her crash, Bennett admitted she fully believed her running days were over in the early months of her recovery. “I spent the first 12 weeks after my amputation completely bitter,” she shared in a post-race press conference. “I skipped physical therapy appointments, lashed out at my family, and donated all my old running gear because it felt like a cruel reminder of the life I’d lost. I couldn’t imagine ever lacing up shoes again, let alone finishing a half marathon.” That mindset began to shift when Lila, a self-described “total couch potato” who had never shown interest in organized sports before her mom’s accident, asked to join Clara for a 10-minute walk around their neighborhood on a quiet Saturday morning. What started as short, slow walks gradually turned into jogs, and eventually structured training sessions once Bennett was fitted with a custom adaptive running prosthetic 10 months after her amputation. The pair signed up for the 2026 RBC Brooklyn Half the second registration opened, committing to a 5-day-a-week training plan that included strength conditioning, adaptive running drills, and long slow runs along Prospect Park West. On race day, the duo drew deafening cheers from crowds along the entire course, with many spectators holding up handwritten signs referencing their viral training TikTok account, which had amassed 127,000 followers in the months leading up to the race. They crossed the finish line in 2 hours 47 minutes, both crying as they held up a handmade sign that read “We Did It Together.” Bennett says she hopes her story will encourage other people living with disabilities to explore adaptive athletics. “Running doesn’t look the same for me as it did before, but it’s far more meaningful now,” she said. “I get to do it with my biggest cheerleader, and if we can make even one person feel like they don’t have to give up the things they love after a setback, that’s better than any finishing time.” The 2026 RBC Brooklyn Half saw a record 1,247 adaptive athletes compete this year, a 32% increase from 2025 participation numbers.