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Nancy Shefchuk spent decades as a runner. Two knee replacements and a rheumatoid arthritis diagnosis could have ended her active lifestyle. Instead, Nancy found a way to keep GOing. Meet Nancy Shefchuk, our May 2026 Rider of the Month!

An Ohio Native
Nancy was born and raised in Middlefield, Ohio, a village in an area of northeast Ohio known as Amish country. She still calls Middlefield home today and lives there with her sister Janice. Her other sister Julie and Julie’s husband, Mac, live close by. After a long and dedicated career as a police officer, Nancy is now enjoying retirement.

Nancy’s love of running started young. She was a competitive distance runner in high school, and she kept at it for more than 20 years after graduation. Nancy even ran a couple of full marathons.

The End of Running — and a New Beginning
But eventually, the years of running took a toll. “I had a lot of joint issues,” Nancy says. She suffered through a number of knee injuries, which eventually led to two knee replacements. After the surgeries, running, the activity that had been such a constant in Nancy’s life, was no longer an option.

Then she read an article in a running magazine about the legendary marathoner Meb Keflezighi. Nancy noted that he credited using an ElliptiGO bike in his training to lessen impact on his joints. The concept clicked immediately.

“I was looking for an activity that would give me the joy and relaxation of running without the pounding,” Nancy recalls. “The ElliptiGO seemed to fit the bill.” So Nancy got an 8C elliptical bike.

Nancy on the GO

“I love my 8C,” says Nancy. “It gives me the same relaxing, ‘zone out’ feeling I got from running. My body gets a good workout and my mind can relax and drift away for a while.” As much as she adores her 8C, Nancy is looking at getting an 11R.

Nancy brings her trusty ElliptiGO water bottle along for every ride, along with a handlebar bag that carries her mobile phone as it logs her Strava data.

Nancy rode more than 3,000 miles last year. In a typical month, she aims to ride four days a week, with 20-plus mile rides whenever her schedule allows.

But May is not a typical month: It’s the Every Day in May (EDIM) challenge! EDIM is one of the monthly challenges in the GOGO (Get Out and GO) riding program for members of the Global ElliptiGO Riders Club (GERC). So this month, Nancy is aiming to ride daily, along with her EDIM duo partner. “I always try and challenge myself for maximum mileage,” says Nancy.

Nancy’s Favorite Ride

Nancy will be logging most of the miles on her favorite riding trail: the Maple Highlands Trail in the Geauga County Park District. Nancy shares, “It’s well-maintained, shaded and surrounded by woods, with five covered bridges!” The paved trail runs most of the county’s length and connects with regional paths in neighboring counties, giving Nancy plenty of room to ride.

“I’ve ridden thousands of miles on this trail,” says Nancy. “It gets me off the streets and away from cars so I can enjoy nature without worrying about vehicles.”

Defying Her Own Expectations

After injuries and knee replacements, Nancy wasn’t sure that she would ever be able to push herself physically again. Her 8C proved her wrong in the best possible way.

“This bike has allowed me to tackle cardio challenges and long workouts of two or more hours that I didn’t think were going to be possible anymore,” she shares.

Recently, Nancy was diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis (RA). But thanks to her ElliptiGO bike, she can still get the physical and mental benefits of exercise. “My time GOing clears my mind and relaxes me after a long day,” Nancy says.

Joining a New Community

Nancy hasn’t just found a great workout — she’s found fellow ElliptiGO fans and friends through the ElliptiGO Facebook group and GERC. She notes that Didi Hendricks Schenck helped her quickly solve an issue with the Wahoo app, and ElliptiGO Service Manager Keri Cleeremans is always helpful with ElliptiGO maintenance questions.

As for the GERC members she hasn’t had a chance to meet yet, Nancy says, “I feel like I know them through their posts and the GOGO challenges. The group’s encouragement and kindness toward everyone, regardless of riding level or mileage, has really compelled me to line up some new riding challenges.”

Eyes on Palomar

Speaking of challenges, Nancy has set her sights on the ElliptiGO World Championships, held annually in October. The ElliptiGO World Championships is an annual invitation-only uphill race in San Diego, California, where athletes ride ElliptiGO bikes up Palomar Mountain. The challenging 11.69-mile course features a 4,209-foot elevation gain.

Nancy modestly describes herself as “just a regular citizen rider,” but she has already qualified twice for the ElliptiGO World Championships. (See what it takes to qualify.) However, she hasn’t yet made the trek to participate in the event. But now Nancy says, “I have plans for another qualifier attempt and a trip to California to tackle the beast!”

Ready to GO?

Nancy says she thought long and hard before buying her ElliptiGO bike. She weighed the decision carefully, and she knows she made the right choice. Today, her advice for anyone on the fence about getting one is simple and direct: “If you’re looking for an alternative to running, consider an ElliptiGO bike. You won’t regret it.”

Nancy Shefchuk didn’t let two knee replacements or a rheumatoid arthritis diagnosis stop her. Thousands of miles later, she’s still GOing. Congratulations, Nancy, on being our May 2026 Rider of the Month! We can’t wait to see you at the top of Palomar Mountain!

 

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