Pursuit of Gold with Laura Wilkinson

Laura’s guests on the podcast today are Olympic runner, Abbey Cooper, and her sport psychologist husband, Jacob. Abbey’s impressive college career includes being seven-time national champion, 16-time Ivy League champion and 12-time All-American. In 2012, she became the first Dartmouth woman to win a national title, and in 2013 she became the first Ivy League student-athlete to win the cross-country title. Currently running for New Balance and pursuing the Tokyo Olympics, Abbey is perhaps best known for her inspiring performance at the 2016 Rio Olympics, which she describes in full here today. Highly talented in his own right, Jacob was a scholarship athlete and four-year starter on the football team at Taylor University. This experience led to his interest in the field of sport psychology, and currently, he is the Director of Sport Psychology Services at Appalachian State University and a member of the Mental Health Registry of the USOPC.

Their conversation with Laura today explores not only their story in sport and in their personal relationship, but also of their unwavering faith, and the role that God plays in their lives. Along the way, they touch on Abbey’s experience at Dartmouth and the beginning of her faith journey, God’s grace in her life, His transformation of Jacob’s heart, and how He has taught them lessons about hardship, suffering, and what really matters through His ministry to them. Of course, Abbey’s historic and inspiring performance at the 2016 Olympics is recounted from both of their perspectives, and they also share details of their unique dynamic, what the past four years have been like, what they’ve been working on during the pandemic, and the dream that they have for helping other athletes. Having been through so much, and having faced it all together, supported by the power of their faith, Abbey and Jacob have many lessons to teach about making meaning out of experiences, and they do precisely that here today with extraordinary grace, humility, and sincerity.

Episode Highlights:

Quotes:

“God had other plans.”

“I wouldn’t go back and change it, because it really brought me to the end of myself, and introduced me to this need for the Lord in my life.”

“It was the peace He gave you inside.”

“It was definitely a pretty humbling and arduous path from there that God really used to kind of transform my life.”

“It was this gift to glorify Him.”

“Luckily, God surrounded me with great friends, coaching, and mentors that helped me make meaning of my experience.”

“It was the fastest mile of my life, and probably the slowest of Abbey’s.”

“It was like God’s hand was over the whole thing.”

“I know that I’m here for a reason, but none of this makes sense.”

“That is so unnatural to me to respond in a way that isn’t selfish that I am so sure that it was just the Holy Spirit.”

“Abbey tried to get up like two or three times and run, and just kind of collapsed.”

“It was one of the most memorable and uplifting stories of the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio.”

“Now to him who is able.”

“When I crossed the finish line, I was already so amazed by what God had done.”

“Lord, bless me with wisdom, bless me with humility, and bless me with a godly wife someday…He gave me all three combined into one.”

“God’s given me a lot of hardship to walk through, and so I’ve picked up a few things along the way about what’s helped me.”

“I hope and pray athletes will feel less alone in their struggles.”

Links:

The Pursuit of Gold homepage: http://thepursuitofgold.com/

Connect with Abbey and Jacob:

Running With Heart homepage (coming soon): https://www.runningwithheart.org/

The world’s greatest athlete, Trey Hardee, is Laura’s special guest on the podcast today.

Today, Trey shares his journey all the way from his beginnings in sport to what he is busy with these days in retirement, detailing the many highs and lows along the way. In addition to discussing mentors, injuries, and coming up short in competition, he offers his thoughts on encouraging children in sports, his Olympic competitions, adopting a professional mindset, and being a commentator at the Rio Olympics. Woven throughout is his strongly held belief in having no regrets in sport or in life. If you are in need of a ‘kick in the butt’ to pursue your dreams, Trey’s inspirational story and sage advice, combined with the humility and humor with which he shares them, are precisely what you need to listen to here today.

Episode Highlights:

Quotes:

“Sports became this after school daycare for me…it just became this way of life.”

“Basketball was the thing that I loved.”

“I’m going to show this idiot coach, like, how good of a pole vaulter I can be, and be the best doggone pole vaulter that’s ever been at this school.”

“It is a hard hurdle to get over to transition into internal motivation, the real ‘why’ of why you’re out there.”

“Do you want your kid to be good at sports, or do you want them to be happy and full of joy and contentment.”

“Genuinely, it’s one of the most deadly sports in the world in terms of participation and catastrophic incidents…people do pass away, have permanent brain injury.”

“There’s no feeling quite like it really in any other sport that I’ve tried or done.”

“Really good in a lot of things, but not great at anything, that’s kind of where decathletes fall.”

“The moment and everything that went along with it, I was, mentally, so unprepared for, that it just swallowed me up.”

“If I really wanted to be good, and take the next step, kind of, stand on the medal stand, I needed to professionalize this, both from the preparation side, but the mental side as well.”

“Coming up short when you’re giving your best can make you feel terrible.”

“It is far worse to live with regret than it is to put yourself out there and fail.”

“It became a beautiful thing for me to fail, and fail gloriously, because you learn so much from it.”

“Regret nothing, let’s go for it.”

“It was time to start being a dad and being, you know, a real family.”

“I’m still…trying as many hats on as I can to find that next thing that I’m passionate about.”

“It’s really important to me that I’m around and I’m available and, kind of, flexible to be a dad, all day, 24/7, and not out of commission too much.”

“Don’t be afraid to put it all out there. There’s worse things in the world but non more difficult to deal with than living with regret.”

Links:

Connect with Trey:

Olympic shot put gold medalist, Michelle Carter, is Laura’s very special guest on the podcast today. Michelle is a three-time Olympian and a World Championship gold medalist who has excelled at the national and international level over the past two decades. In addition to capturing eight Texas State U.I.L. titles in shot put and discus as well as two national girls’ shot put records and the Texas state record in discus, Michelle’s gold medal winning performance in the shot put at the 2016 Olympics made her the first United States female athlete to win the event since the women’s competition began in 1948. Michelle is also an outspoken advocate for females in sport which becomes readily apparent as she shares her remarkable story with Laura here today.

Michelle details her career in sport from its very beginning through to current day, touching upon her ‘Coach Daddy’s’ role in it, her experiences in high school, college and the Olympics, and how her mindset was developed and impacts her performance, along the way. She also discusses drug use in her sport, being on the pro circuit, dealing with illness and injury, and her tremendous faith, including how God ‘shows up’. She finishes up the conversation with an update on her career these days, how COVID has affected it, and the various initiatives that she has started to help girls in sport. Michelle Carter is undeniably an elite athlete whose achievements are utterly spectacular, and, as you will hear today, she is so much more. In her mindset, her confidence, her faith, her ethics, and her passion, she is a role model not only to other athletes, but to absolutely every one of us.

Episode Highlights:

· Michelle’s start in sports and her journey to shot put

Quotes:

“I didn’t look at it as if I always had to win. I just knew I had to do better than I did last time.”

“I wanted to meet the expectations that I had for myself.”

“It was like I always kind of expect something to go wrong, and to be ready to kind of face that challenge.”

“I didn’t want my first Olympic…experience to be horrible, and I did truly feel like I was not ready.”

“That year really proved to myself that I knew that I had what it takes to be successful.”

“I didn’t see myself as one of the world’s greatest athletes…I was just so in awe.”

“I didn’t want to put any extra pressure just because it was the Olympics…I just have to go out there and compete to the best of my abilities.”

“I had pretty much just stayed off social media from the time I got to the Olympic Village until after I competed because I had to protect my energy.”

“I was actually diagnosed with Hashimoto’s in 2010, so I knew that 2012 wasn’t going to be easy.”

“All I control is me…I pride myself on being a clean athlete…what’s done in the dark will come to light.”

“I want to beat the dirtiest person on their best day with my clean self being ready on that day…I’m going to beat you while you’re cheating.”

“Being a part of one of the world’s greatest teams, Team USA, we have all the medical things you ever need or want. “

“I’m having these conversations in my head to keep myself balanced.”

“Lord, listen, this is it. I only have one more throw. If You said that I could win, you better show up right now, because this is it.”

“What I had worked on showed up.”

“I know she has the ability to beat me. The question is, like, can she meet the challenge?”

“Whatever you want to do is possible.”

“I know now why He did it that way. It was to humble me and to reach so many more people and change their lives…that’s just such a God thing.”

“He believed in me when I didn’t quite believe in myself.”

“I know that I can still do better.”

“You can be me and better.”

“I feel like once you’re confident in who you are outside of your skills, add your skills on top of your confidence just in who you are, you become so powerful.”

“You are so passionate about young girls and helping young girls. I love your heart.”

Links:

Connect with Michelle:

Laura welcomes professional golfer, Tracy Hanson, to the podcast today. After enjoying a successful All-American College golf career, Tracy went on to enjoy even more success on the Professional Ladies Golf Tour for 15 seasons before retiring in 2009. Within a year of her retirement, she embarked on a new journey, which included unpacking the truth about the harm and abuse she experienced as a child. Today, she joins Laura to courageously share her story and offer sage advice for all listeners.

In this conversation, Tracy relates her history in sports, particularly in golf, and offers details regarding her role now as a counselor. She also shares the story of her abuse from its start of being ‘groomed’ to finally recognizing it as abuse, and its immense impact upon her life. Along the way she recounts her struggle of wrestling with her identity, the prominent role that her faith has played throughout her life, and how she has become a counselor for others who may be going through what she experienced. She and Laura discuss some organizations that offer help to athletes, including Tracy’s own non-profit, and Tracy offers valuable advice for athletes, parents, coaches, and anyone with similar experiences. So much of today’s episode is centered around a difficult but enormously important topic offering an equally important message delivered by a woman gifted not only with athletic prowess, but with unrivalled strength, perseverance, faith, and courage. This is an episode that needs to be heard by everyone.

Episode Highlights:

· How Tracy got started in sports and specifically golf

Quotes:

“I’m not sure it was my dream to start with.”

“Golf is just something to something bigger in your life.”

“One person who started talking to me more about Jesus…also became an abuser in my life.”

“I didn’t understand what was happening, and I didn’t feel safe to tell anybody.”

“In the context of the coach who started grooming me, I felt and received a lot of those things that I was longing for from my dad.”

“For athletes or non-athletes…we don’t understand what’s happening because we’re getting some really good things. We’re getting connectedness, we’re getting somebody who really is speaking life into us and who believes in us.”

“The grooming is part of the abuse.”

“Those hunches need to be followed through. So, that’s where I was missed.”

“My golf career was just one of those numbing agents…I just tried to perform harder.”

“God was really gentle with me.”

“I was out there, I was sharing my faith, and I was being the Christian athlete, and yet, so empty inside. And that was the part that people didn’t know.”

“You’re not alone. You’re not the only one who has experienced something horrific…there is or are people that want to be with you in that pain.”

“There is somebody…that will believe you…take the risk to speak it out.”

“I think counseling was the hardest and best thing that I’ve ever done in my life.”

“I wanted to help young athletes get the help that I needed in my early 20’s instead of having to wait 20 years.”

“I really just offer myself as a mentor/counselor for really life conversations, and spiritual conversations go, kind of, around that and in and through those conversations as well.”

“Unfortunately, we don’t give athletes the freedom in our culture to be that human person.”

“There’s so much power in just being able to name what’s true.”

“My whole desire and purpose is to provide…safe opportunities for athletes to talk about their stories of trauma.”

“If the stress and anxiety around the sport is outweighing the joy and the playfulness of it, then there’s something out of balance, and…they need to get some help.”

Links:

Connect with Tracy:

Website: https://tracyhanson.com/

Laura’s guest on the podcast this week is World Championship gold medalist swimmer, Michael Andrew. Turning pro at 14, Michael broke numerous National Age Group Records in his teens, and over the course of his career, he has broken Junior World Records. Along the way, however, he and his parents have also received a lot of backlash for the choices that they made throughout this stellar career. In today’s episode, Michael talks about all of this and so much more in a conversation that is both enlightening and inspiring.

Michael begins by sharing what he is doing in Turkey these days, and about his exciting involvement with the New York Breakers and the International Swimming League. He then goes on to describe his unique career in swimming, the role his parents continue to play in it, the ‘haters’ they had to deal with, and his family’s willingness to share all that they have learned with anyone wishing to learn. Michael also shares his nutrition regimen, how he balances new training techniques with establishing routines, his vlogs and love of technology, and an exciting new venture that he and his dad are working on. Woven throughout is Michael’s deep commitment to his faith and the prominent role it plays in his life and career. As you will discover, Michael Andrew is most certainly a superstar in the world of competitive swimming, but he is so very much more than that, and he shares it all with you here today.

Episode Highlights:

· What Michael is doing in Turkey these days

Quotes:

“It’s kind of like we’re in our own little bubble anyway.”

“My entire swim career, we’ve always been very family oriented.”

“I am a Team Captain, owner, and athlete of New York Breakers.”

“This league really just gives athletes an opportunity beyond the Olympics.”

“It takes all of the…exciting events, condenses it into two hours of extreme action – the fastest athletes in the world going head-to-head, scoring points, and money’s on the line.”

“Why would we do that if we don’t believe in the way they train, we don’t believe in all the negative things that come from those experiences? Like, why not just do it differently?”

“It was really interesting to see over the years how people’s perception of us had changed because we were consistent in who we were and what we stood for.”

“We have more supporters than we ever had haters, really, and it’s just cool to see how…faithful God has been through that, in us kind of sticking to who we are and not backing away from it.”

“It feels like my career’s just beginning at 21.”

“I’ve been super blessed with a family that has supported me from the beginning.”

“They’re judging from a very warped picture.”

“We don’t live to earn man’s approval, really. We’re here doing what we do to the greatest of our ability, but also to glorify God and what he has given us.”

“I never want to be the athlete that kind of feels that I have to restrict myself from a lot of the fun things in order to perform.”

“I think it’s so important for athletes to have clear goals and things that they’re working towards.”

“Your body can use oxygen more efficiently when you are keto-adapted.”

“How do we rewire the brain and change these habits?”

“At the end of the day, it’s just swimming…I know God loves me for who I am.”

“I just need to show up and race and let God handle the details.”

“I don’t live a performance-based identity, but I live a purpose-based identity.”

“The closest you get to God is usually in the hardest times.”

“We’re creating a subscription platform where we can just give people everything.”

Links:

Connect with Michael:

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/michaelandrew4

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/swimmermichael/

International Swimming League: https://isl.global/

Olympic high jumper, and Laura’s newly declared BFF, Chaunte Lowe, is her very special guest on the podcast this week. Chaunte is a 4-time Olympian, 3-Time World Championship medalist, and 12 times US National Champion, who is always a crowd favorite with her impossibly defined abs, dramatic dance moves, and occasional backflips. She is also a mother of 3 and a breast cancer survivor who is currently training for an opportunity to compete in her 5th Olympic Games in Tokyo 2021. Hers is a story of determination, perseverance and strength that you do not want to miss.

In today’s episode, Chaunte shares this story of her personal life and career as they intertwine from childhood to today. Along the way, she discusses her childhood difficulties, the resilience she developed, her various Olympic experiences, including the remarkable story behind her Bronze medal, and the incredibly moving and inspiring account of her battle with breast cancer. She and Laura also talk about coming out of retirement, preparing for the coming Olympics, and the challenges of doing so with all the changes that the current pandemic presents. Woven throughout their conversation is the importance of Chaunte’s faith, the powerful motivators which keep her going, and the sheer strength that she possesses, not just physically, but mentally, emotionally and spiritually as well. As you listen in today, you will discover that Chaunte Lowe is, indeed, an ‘unstoppable force who has a purpose greater than her goals’, and is truly an inspiration to all.

Episode Highlights:

· Chaunte’s background and how she got into high jumping

Quotes:

“We never had a lot, but we were always happy.”

“No matter where I was or how dire the situation was in my life, I would always be able to find a home within the church.”

“Something about the high jump was calling me to it, and I believe that now to be God putting me on my right path.”

“The day that I stepped onto campus, there was a plan. I was focused on executing the plan.”

“He told me to think beyond athletics.”

“I kept my integrity intact.”

“The advancement in testing technology caught some things that weren’t initially caught in 2004.”

“I’m a firm believer that everything happens for a reason in the right time.”

“I was so confident that it wasn’t breast cancer, that I brought my kids to the appointment to get the results.”

“Throughout that whole process, and with the strength of God, because I couldn’t have done it on my own, I decided to train.”

“I wouldn’t have made it to my 40th birthday, that’s how dire it was.”

“As athletes, we know our body.”

“I’m figuring out ways to have my own…series of meets.”

“I want my daughters to grow up in a breast cancer free world, and so that’s what I’m doing it for.”

“That’s when you change the world.”

Links:

Connect with Chaunte:

Website: https://www.chauntelowespeaks.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/chauntelowe/?hl=en

The gymnast in Laura is geeking out more than a little bit this week as she welcomes six-time World medalist and Olympic Silver medalist, Chellsie Memmel, to the podcast today. In addition to being only the third U.S. woman to achieve World all-around gold, Chellsie led Team USA to its first-ever World team gold medal in 2003, earned the all-around silver medal at the 2011 CoverGirl Classic, and has served as an official at the 2016 P&G Gymnastics Championship and the 2016 U.S. Olympic Trials for women's gymnastics. Currently, she is preparing for her comeback with an eye to the 2021 Olympics, and she talks about that and so much more in her conversation with Laura here today.

Chellsie and Laura cover her entire gymnastics career all the way from her beginnings in the sport up to her recent comeback attempt, and explore the very high moments of her many successes, as well as the many times that injuries impacted not only her ability to perform, but also her mindset. Throughout this review of her career, they also discuss the role her father played in coaching her, the role that both parents played in helping her during her times of recovery, the importance of acknowledging, grieving and moving past injuries, and how different her training, mindset, and confidence are now during her comeback. They conclude with a description of Chellsie’s current YoutTube channel videos, and just how much Laura loves them. Chellsie Memmel’s tale of success and perseverance through injuries is a truly inspirational one not only for athletes but for all who experience setbacks in pursuing their goals. There is so much that she has learned from these experiences, and she shares it all in this week’s thoroughly intriguing episode.

Episode Highlights:

· How Chellsie got started in gymnastics

Quotes:

“You’re kind of coaching him on how to coach you.”

“What are you learning from this situation so you can get better?”

“It was just, like, sheer mental strength at that time of just being able to pull that out…so that part of it was not great.”

“Looking back now, I can be super proud of what we did, but just in that moment, it was tough and it was bittersweet.”

“You’re like the Bionic Woman!”

“It is so amazing like, how competitive I truly am, like, when it’s something…that I care about.”

“I always tried to use gymnastics as a way to get in shape, and this is the exact opposite.”

“The gym just is empty – it needs gymnastics, so I started doing more.”

“I want to be able to give something my all.”

“Don’t stand in your own way of doing something just because you know how hard it’s going to be.”

“It’s keeping me healthy, it’s keeping me sane…but I’m still making progress.”

“To be doing better than I ever was before…I just attribute that to the kind of conditioning that I’m doing and the different appreciation I have for my body and how I am treating it and conditioning it.”

“I just obviously know from experience that a positive attitude is always much better to have.”

“I already feel like I’ve won.”

“It’s been really cool to share this process…I feel like it’s really neat to have people be a part of the journey…to also see the struggle and to see me getting nervous when I’m trying something new.”

“Take a little bit of time for yourself…I think it will make everybody happier.”

Links:

Connect with Chellsie:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/cmemmel23/

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/ChellsieMemmel23

Twitter: https://twitter.com/CMemmel

Website: https://chellsie-memmel.com/

The one and only Apolo Ohno is Laura’s very special guest on the podcast today.

Apolo begins the conversation by reflecting upon his first broadcasting experience, the effects of the Olympic postponement on athletes, and the first sports in which he participated as a child. He then compares and contrasts short track and long track speed skating, and relates his storied career in speed skating, including the game changing life lesson his father taught him, the importance and power of his shift in mindset, and especially the tremendous impact that sports psychology has had upon his performance. Apolo goes into great detail about the ‘assertive intentionality’ which revolutionized his training, and he provides all the details behind his infamous silver medal at the 2002 Olympics and his transformation as he reinvented himself for the 2010 Olympics. This fascinating conversation concludes with Apolo offering his sage advice for athletes. As an athlete who has experienced so very much throughout his remarkable career, Apolo Ohno possesses a unique perspective on setting goals and accessing each and every ‘reservoir of potential’ during their pursuit. Today you have a front row seat to hear him share his extensive knowledge, insight, and wisdom with Laura in this very special episode.

Episode Highlights:

· Apolo’s first broadcasting experience

Quotes:

“It looked so impossible to me that these guys were leaning over at these impossible angles, going like 30 miles an hour, inside of a hockey rink. It just was so cool looking.”

“I don’t like racing against the clock – that seems very boring to me – I liked racing against other athletes and testing my might against them.”

“I was racing against men who were 30, 35 years old, who had been skating and training longer than I had been alive on this planet, and I was beating them with ease which was very, very weird.”

“At a flip of a switch, I was now being talked about as being a statistic, as being a kid who had it all but threw it away, who didn’t know what hard work and discipline was. And that was painful.”

“Whatever it is, I want to see real dedication and commitment from you.”

“It’s only a true failure if you stay down.”

“I have a mindset…that you are not willing to go to. I will go to the places in my mind that you are afraid to go through.”

“I have something upstairs and in my heart that other people around me do not have.”

“I had this untapped reservoir of potential, and that was my mind.”

“You’ve got to take pleasure in those small wins.”

“I was able to make such assertive intentionality around each training, pre-, during, and post-, that the quality of my training went so high.”

“Everything scarred me in some degree, and…it wasn’t healthy back then, but when it comes down to sheer performance, I think there was no one that was more driven.”

“We, as a country, needed to see some athlete like that, to get knocked down when he was supposed to win, and to not complain about it, and to not gripe about it, but to say...‘Life happens’…it was a blessing.”

“I’m so grateful that I didn’t win that race…anything else would have been different.”

“It was really about me exhausting any and all of the options, leaving no stones unturned in that preparation.”

“Every up, every down, every mediocre performance is an incredible learning experience and opportunity to light that fire within.”

Links:

Laura’s Social Media:

Connect with Apolo:

Website: https://www.apoloohno.com/

Laura’s guest on the podcast this week is three-time Olympic medalist bobsledder, Elana Meyers Taylor. In addition to her Olympic achievements, Elana is also a four-time World Champion, eight-time World Championship medalist, and she has made history by being the first woman to earn a spot on the US National Team competing with men. On top of all of this, Elana became a mom for the first time earlier this year, and you will hear all about her little Nico throughout the episode today.

Elana begins the episode by sharing the story of her marriage proposal, her subsequent pregnancy and delivery, and the conditions with which her son, Nico, has been diagnosed. She and Laura then explore the ways in which motherhood can impact an athlete’s training and the many benefits of involving your children in the training. Elana also describes how COVID-19 has impacted her training, the upcoming bobsled season, and her family’s income. The shift in her mindset and how she is feeling now, what it’s like training with and being coached by her husband, her definition of success, and her favorite memory of her bobsledding career are discussed as well. Elana then concludes the episode with her sage advice for fellow elite athletes who are moms. As you listen to her story today, you will discover in Elana a remarkably accomplished woman who sets and pursues her goals relentlessly, providing a sterling example not only for her beloved child, but for the rest of us as well. Prepare to be inspired.

Episode Highlights:

Quotes:

“He spent about eight days in the NICU, which was an experience that I wouldn’t wish on anybody at all.”

“They adapt, you adapt, and you kind of figure it out together, which is kind of the beautiful thing.”

“I’m going to be a new, different, and, I think, better athlete as a result of everything that’s going on.”

“For our kids’ sake, they are going to get a lot out of…their mother showing them that they can go on and set goals and achieve something even while still being a mom.”

“I feel like part of our journey is simply that, is being the best example we can to our kids, and sometimes, yes, bringing them along.”

“I really want to show my son that I’m out there doing what I love to do and I continue to do what I love to do while being his mother.”

“He is able to adapt whatever I need and to make it make sense to me.”

“Communication is such a big, big thing.”

“Our identity does not lie in our sport.”

“For me, success is really defined internally by you going after a goal and what steps you took to accomplish it and how you feel the process went.”

“The couch or the back of a bobsled – I’ll take the back of a bobsled, please.”

“Be prepared to adapt…trust in yourself and believe in yourself…no challenge you can’t overcome.”

“Don’t be afraid to ask for help.”

Connect with Elana:

Laura is so honored to welcome Amy Dixon, a visually impaired professional triathlete and member of the USA Paratriathlon National Team, to the podcast today. Amy lost 98% of her vision to a rare autoimmune disease and now serves as a patient advocate and President of the Glaucoma Eyes international non-profit. She is also the reigning Aquathlon World Champion, US National Champion triathlete, USA Paracycling Time Trial National Champion, and is ranked 6th in the world in the Paralympic International Rankings. She recently moved to San Diego to focus her training for her road to the Tokyo 2021 Paralympic Games, and she talks about her preparation for these Games and so much more with Laura here today.

She begins their conversation by sharing her experience and advice as a sommelier with Laura before moving onto how the pandemic has affected her and her training, including how her autoimmune disease has prepared her for the current health protocols. Amy then offers a vivid description of exactly what her sight is like these days, her bad luck at World Championships, the story of her vision loss and how she dealt with the news, and the therapy she found in working with horses again. She also discusses the story of her competitive triathlon career, how she missed going to the 2016 Paralympics, what keeps her going for the 2021 Games, and the surgeries and treatments she continues to undergo and the complications they create for training. Amy closes out the conversation by explaining how she maintains her mantra given her many challenges and offers details about the ‘No Sight No Limits’ camp she started. Today’s episode is a truly moving and inspiring story of one woman’s courage, strength, perseverance, and determination, which holds lessons for everyone, especially those in pursuit of gold.

Episode Highlights:

Quotes:

“This is my one and done shot.”

“I always laugh that I’m held together with duct tape and glue.”

“I’ve lived my whole life like this as far as being…physically distant.”

“I developed some really unhealthy habits as far as anxiety is concerned.”

“It’s like looking through a keyhole.”

“They were able to slow down the progression of my disease by putting me on a kind of steroids, but I gained 75 pounds, and so that’s when I found triathlon.”

“I just envisioned it to be the worst possible death sentence, in my opinion.”

“I can still do this with this different body and this different ability and just in a different way, and it wasn’t that different than anybody else out on the course.”

“So you took chemo and got cancer.”

“The goal always was to slow the disease down enough that technology would catch up with it.”

“I’ve had 33 surgeries over the past 7 years…to control my disease.”

“My eye is constantly deflating every time I train really hard.”

“95% of people who are…legally blind have some residual vision.”

“I’m the first patient over the age of 40 that has any usable vision with this kind of diagnosis.”

“I know what the other side looks like and that it’s not all bad.”

“This anxiety that we have with this Olympic and Paralympic postponement really has created problems that I didn’t imagine for myself, but, at the same time…on the positive side, it’s bought me an entire year of hopefully having consistent training and hopefully being healthy if I make some good decisions going forward.”

Connect with Amy:

Amy’s homepage: https://amydixonusa.com/

Amy’s Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/amydixonusa

Amy’s Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nosightnolimits/?hl=en

Amy’s Twitter: https://twitter.com/nosightnolimits