This week, Sam Schaefer joins Brendan for a great discussion about Sam's current career, his experience as an amputee with Complex Regional Pain Syndrome, and his goals for his athletic career. This week's episode focuses on the complexity of one's individual journey within the world of adaptive fitness, and how Sam has reclaimed autonomy over his disability.

For more about Sam, follow him on Instagram at @Samschaefer1

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Episode 15 Chapters:

00:49 - Sam’s Background

02:03 - The Choice to Enlist- Military Background

02:29 - The Initial Injury 03:36 - The Diagnosis of Complex Regional Pain Syndrome

05:10 - Coping with CRPS Diagnosis

06:30 - Life After the Military: Finding Crossfit

10:26 - Coaching as an Adaptive Athlete

12:19 - Sam’s Prior Exposure to Adaptive Fitness

13:48 - The Choice to Pursue Amputation

15:06 - Pushback from the VA

17:33 - The Intricacies of Classifying Disability

18:59 - Residual Discomfort Post-Amputation

19:59 - Shared Experiences with CRPS

24:18 - Training Adaptive Athletes Makes You a Better Coach

26:08 - Amputation Experience

26:39 - Sam’s Participation in Adaptive Sports

29:46 - Making Adaptive Sports More Mainstream

34:16 - Sam on the Inspiration Narrative

26:28 - Upcoming Fitness Competitions and Goals

37:37 - Local Organizations and Recs

38:05 - First Experiences Running with a Blade

39:42 - Different Classifications of Prosthetics

41:28 - Running Goals

44:24 - Less Leg More Heart

46:57 - Making Fitness More Accessible

51:09 - Raising Expectations of Individuals with Disabilities

51:27 - Upcoming 30k

52:04 - More About Sam and Social Media