Growing up, my dad frequently used the phrase, ”You get like who you hang with.” I’ve come to completely agree with him. I believe that the people you surround yourself with have a major impact on your own behaviors and attitudes, whether in a positive or negative light.
Meeting and getting to spend time with people who do amazing things inspires me to do great things myself. That’s why when I was contacted to meet the first female leg amputee to complete the Ironman World Championships , Sarah Reinertsen, I jumped at the chance. I can’t think of meeting a type of person more inspiring than an athlete whose overcome major obstacles to achieve amazing goals.
Sarah on the cover of ESPN’s 2009 Body Issue
Sarah has broken the physically challenged world marathon record numerous times, as well as world records for 100m and 200m distances. After being the first female amputee to attempt Hawaii’s Ironman World Championships in 2004 but falling short, she came back the next year to become the first female amputee to complete the grueling competition. In 2006, Sarah won an ESPY Award for Best Female Disabled Athlete of the Year. This year, Nike released the first ever shoe for a running prosthetic, inspired by her and called the ”Sarah Sole.” She even competed on the TV show The Amazing Race.
Today I had the chance to chat with her at a running & mobility clinic for amputee children and adults. Sarah is a spokeswoman for the Challenged Athletes Foundation (CAF), which provides funding to physically challenged individuals for sports equipment such as prosthetics, wheelchairs and handcycles. The organization also helps to subsidize competition and training expenses, produce mentoring and fitness clinics, and offer community outreach programs. This weekend, CAF’s San Diego Triathlon Challenge is taking place in La Jolla. More than 200 of the world’s top physically challenged athletes and 500 able-bodied triathletes and celebrities are participating in the event, which consists of a 1 mile swim, 44 mile bike and 10 mile run. Here are some things Sarah and I talked about:
How long have you been involved with the CAF?
-I first participated in the San Diego Triathlon Challenge in 1998, and have been involved with the organization ever since.
How do you think the CAF impacts the lives of physically challenged athletes?
-I think that our clinics, programs, and assistance help to build confidence in people, especially young athletes. I started competing in races when I was 11, and sports helped build my self-esteem and made me feel comfortable in a body that’s not like everyone else’s. I’m so passionate about the organization because athletics made a world of difference to me, and I know it has the power to do the same for other physically challenged people. There’s no better feeling than that moment of glory when you cross the finish line in a sporting event, and the CAF helps athletes to be able to experience that feeling of being a champion.
What’s your diet like?
-I like to practice mindfulness. I eat well to feel well, but I also like to indulge on occasion. I like to think of my body as a Porsche that I only want to feed with the best fuel.
Was there a moment when you made the decision to be a serious athlete?
-Yes, I found a role model in triathlete Jim MacLaren. He was an amputee Ironman and a very inspirational person to me. In my conversations with Jim, he empowered me to believe in the possibility that I could do it too. This weekend’s San Diego triathlon event began almost 2 decades ago to help raise money for Jim, after he was hit by a van that drove through a closed intersection during a triathlon event. This was the second tragedy in Jim’s life, as he first became an amputee after getting hit by a bus while on his motorcycle. The second accident left him a quadriplegic from the waist down, and the event was created to help raise money to help Jim afford a van that he could drive with his hands. The event’s creators realized how many other physically challenged athletes needed help, and that’s how the foundation was born. Jim has since passed away, though his legacy lives on. He was a big inspiration in my training for the Ironman.
Speaking of inspiration, what mantras push you through tough times?
-Sports are a lot about mental toughness. I have a lot of mantras that I repeat to myself as I run. A major one is, ”Fear less, live more.” It’s important to not worry too much about failing and to just go for it. Growing up, I learned the importance of failure. I think that it teaches you lessons in persistence and hard work. You learn to get back up and give it another shot. Another mantra I tell myself is, ”Show the world you’re tougher than the rest.”
When I commented on how tiny (and cute) Sarah is, her response was something along the lines of, ”Yeah, people don’t usually expect me to be so small. But if an amputee whose 4’11” can do a triathlon, you can do it too right?!” 😉
*San Diegans, if you’re interested in helping support the San Diego Triathlon Challenge tomorrow, join me in walking their 5K fitness challenge! You can also take part in the challenge’s Tour de Cove event, or just show up to support the triathletes. If you’d like to support the Challenged Athletes Foundation in other ways, check out their website for opportunities and events.*
I just came across this post. Love it! How cool that you got to interview Sarah!
Thanks, yes it was awesome!