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Hello Awesome Humans! Joining us on today's podcast for the second time are two awesome humans, Adam Sheppard and Natasha Price. After dealing with ongoing infections, Adam has just recently made the decision to amputate both of his legs just above his knee and is now living a life with more fun, control and quality.
Natasha Price is an elite wheelchair racer, Australian National bronze medallist, author, award winner, blogger, speaker, and a woman whose determination and zest for life infiltrates all she does.
Check out these awesome humans' stories in today's podcast!
Awesome Humans is a podcast by Brett McCallum. Entrepreneur, author, speaker, and all-round Aussie bloke, Brett McCallum has been in the IT business with his company Virtech for over 15 years, alongside many other ventures - with a range of successes and learning experiences along the way. In this series, Brett interviews all sorts of inspiring humans from varied backgrounds to share their stories with the world. Many of Brett's guests have an entrepreneurial background and an amazing story about their successes and failures along the way.
Podcast by Podfire.
Speaker 0 (0s): This is a Podfire production. This podcast may have explicit themes and swearing and may not be suitable for children. The world is full of amazing people. And once a week, I get the opportunity to interview one of them. My name is Brett McCallum, and this is Awesome Humans, Humans. Today's a special day in the awesome human studio because today's the first time ever. We've had a guest back twice, actually to top it off. We've had two of these back twice, two people back twice, even only issue is not all of them have made it this time.
One got a bit legless between visits while the other one has been getting nominated for a hell of a lot of awards. Yep. They're back. The amazing duo from in Vince, Abel, the ever charming a little bit shorter Adam Adam Sheppard. And of course the amazing woman whose neck must be reading really sore from all the medals and awards. She's winning, attached price. Hey guys. Hey,
Speaker 1 (54s): Hey. Hey, how
Speaker 0 (55s): You doing? I'm super before we start this. So I need to read this, someone put this up on Facebook today, or might have been yesterday with all the negativity of social media, traditional media, and often life in general. It can be so easy to forget that it's negative minority, which is the loudest whilst the kind majority is quieter and then an emoji. I dunno what that one means. And with the cons constant bashing, it's always very easy to forget just how much good there is in the world. And a sad emoji today. I eyeball witnessed two and was the recipient of some of the greatest kindness and selflessness I've ever encountered so much.
So, so that I cried publicly. Did she did another emoji? Sorry. I forgot that today. I became a runner up in the Westfield local heroes initiative, which this, I was honored to be given a $5,000 grant towards the work that Adam Sheppard And I do at, in Vince. Abel, I felt incredibly blessed and thankful to be awarded this so that we can amplify our impact. Here's where we left, where I was left speechless though, upon being announced winners and therefore recipients of the $20,000 grant, an incredible local organization.
Suave is that right? Yeah. Ones stepped out front and shocked us all by saying they wanted to share their grant with all of the finalists so that we all came away with an equal prize. Fuck. I'm about to cry. Now, this means we can all create equal impact with our corresponding programs. Don't ever doubt that this world is full of amazing kind, generous people. They surround us silently being gems, getting on with the business, popping up when they most need them. Thank you, EWA. There's lots of emojis here. We are so proud to be in your company. Thank you, Westfield Kumer for the wonderful opportunity and support.
And we felt blessed to even be finalists in the first place. Thank you to everyone that voted. I was one of them. Your support is much appreciated my heart. Another emoji. My heart is so incredibly full tonight. Another emoji I'd like, if you'd like to read my nomination story, please click the link below. And there's a link below and then hashtag thank you. Hashtag kindness, hashtag social impact, hashtag making a difference. Hashtag generosity, hashtag selflessness, hashtag local hero, hashtag community hashtag Westfield, local heroes.
Well, I read that and got emotional like I do. And it's just awesome. Well done. Well said.
Speaker 2 (3m 15s): I, yeah, so that was, that was yesterday. Yep. I kind of sobbed like a pain when it was happening. She did.
Speaker 3 (3m 23s): She did. Yeah. I that's. That's
Speaker 0 (3m 25s): Why I'm pleased. Don't embarrassment. That's
Speaker 3 (3m 27s): Why's, that's why there's two of us cuz I get witness that stuff and you tell
Speaker 0 (3m 30s): Everyone And I oh, fair, cool.
Speaker 2 (3m 32s): He had his hand on my shoulder And I thought, oh, he's been really kind to comfort me, but it was more to like, tell me, stop
Speaker 3 (3m 38s): Ash, please.
Speaker 0 (3m 41s): No it wasn't. But seriously that's amazing. Like congratulations And
Speaker 2 (3m 45s): I incredible that, that, that generosity that those guys demonstrated yesterday by who
Speaker 0 (3m 50s): Are they? Well, who's east
Speaker 2 (3m 51s): 12. So, so they're an organization based up in Kuro. Like we are and they help young guys age sort of 15 to 24 girls and girls. Yeah. Okay. 15 to 24 to overcome challenges in their life that maybe haven't had the best start in life and help them with apprenticeships and
Speaker 0 (4m 11s): Yeah.
Speaker 3 (4m 12s): Oh that's so they do an apprenticeship program. It's a 16 week program that they run them through. And I think there's a lot of life skills and, and different stuff in there.
Speaker 0 (4m 20s): Stuff you don't learn at school, you
Speaker 3 (4m 22s): In life hundred percent. Yeah.
Speaker 2 (4m 24s): And, and the guys that run the organization and the girls that run the organization have a lot of life experience. Yep. And I guess they're, and they've turned their own lives around and they
Speaker 0 (4m 35s): Stand awesome.
Speaker 2 (4m 35s): It's just fantastic. And they are a, an amazing group of people just,
Speaker 0 (4m 41s): And so they got up on stage, won the award and said, Hey, we're gonna share this with everyone. Yeah, they did.
Speaker 2 (4m 45s): So it was, it was $30,000. That was, it was supposed to be 20,000 to the first person, then 5,000 to each runner up. And they said, no, we wanna give, give $5,000 to each of the runner up so that we all go away with 10 each. And isn't that
Speaker 0 (5m 2s): Amazing.
Speaker 2 (5m 2s): Yeah. I mean just, yeah, that and, and to us, because we find it so hard to get funding. Yeah. It, it, it's such a, it's such a big thing and the people that we can impact with that is just incredible. So,
Speaker 0 (5m 15s): Oh, well that well, massive share to those guys. Absolutely. Do you know the thing that, that I find though, is the people that you don't know about or don't hear about are usually the ones that are actually doing all the good in
Speaker 3 (5m 26s): The world they're flying under the radar and just doing their thing.
Speaker 0 (5m 28s): And because they don't give a shit about the other stuff, they just get on, they do their stuff and they make stuff happen, which is, which is pretty awesome. Well, welcome back. You too. Hi. So much for coming back. I really appreciate it. Last time we, we did, this was a year ago, nearly a year ago. Yeah. Gotta be about that a bit more than maybe a bit more. COVID sucks. But, but at the same time, as I got so much feedback and response from, from that episode that I always knew that was you guys back anyway, but you are the first ever return customers. Woohoo.
Speaker 2 (5m 58s): Excellent. Hey, are you crazy?
Speaker 0 (5m 60s): I'm very, very crazy. You know, that that's the reason why we all get on. So
Speaker 3 (6m 3s): We got the email And I was like, is it sure he wants
Speaker 2 (6m 6s): Us about,
Speaker 0 (6m 7s): So what we need to talk about today is lots of the stuff that's happened over the last 12 months last year. And I know COVID affected everybody yeah. Around the world and one of those things, but every single day, I looked at what you guys are doing and stuff. And it made me smile. And that makes me happy. And the fact that we've got someone in here that's made one of the biggest decisions in his life and he's fucking laughed the whole way through it.
Speaker 3 (6m 28s): Got, And
Speaker 2 (6m 29s): I laughed at him. Oh.
Speaker 0 (6m 31s): And that's even funny, you see this thing happen and you see, you take the piss out of him and then other people are sitting there going,
Speaker 2 (6m 37s): I hope you're well, should I? Yes. Yes.
Speaker 0 (6m 41s): But the thing is, mate, you, you obviously had a few medical problems.
Speaker 3 (6m 44s): Yeah. I've so, you know, you
Speaker 0 (6m 47s): Got your legs chopped off. Yeah, I
Speaker 3 (6m 48s): Did. I did on the first, on the 25th of July. And then second surgery was the 1st of August.
Speaker 0 (6m 55s): That's not that long ago. No,
Speaker 3 (6m 56s): Not that long ago. Over probably a good 15, 20 years. I've had issues with pressure wounds on my feet. I've never been able to use my legs, feel my feet, anything like
Speaker 0 (7m 6s): That. So where around, where are you? Where can you feel from
Speaker 3 (7m 8s): Basically mid thigh down mid
Speaker 0 (7m 10s): Thigh down.
Speaker 3 (7m 11s): I've got, I've got nothing. So I've,
Speaker 2 (7m 14s): You've definitely got nothing. No, there's, there's nothing there's
Speaker 3 (7m 17s): Literally there. So yeah. I've had issues for, so how
Speaker 0 (7m 21s): Do you get like, and this is just me being naive. How do you get like pressure impact wounds and stuff on something you can't use?
Speaker 3 (7m 28s): So a couple of different ways. Circulation's pretty bad. In the bottom of my feet. I, the muscles for an for enabled bodied person, the muscles in your legs, push the blood back up your legs. Okay. Mine obviously, cuz I wasn't walking on my legs. The blood pulls at the bottom of my feet. Okay. Plus I have, I've never walked on my feet. So the skin on my feet is super, super, super soft and takes absolutely nothing to break down into a sore or cardio or whatever. And so I was just having continual issues with wounds and you know, infection and you know, just and
Speaker 0 (8m 1s): All that stuff. And obviously any infection, your body makes you sick
Speaker 3 (8m 3s): A hundred percent.
Speaker 0 (8m 4s): So therefore infection you don't even know is happening makes you sick and you sit there going what the fuck's going
Speaker 3 (8m 8s): On. Exactly. And then all of a sudden we're like, Hey, I've got an infection. And then, you know, I'm in hospital for a week or on an antibiotics. And it's just a, you know, it was a, it was a cycle sort of thing, you know? And,
Speaker 0 (8m 18s): And I, that 15 years have been happening
Speaker 3 (8m 20s): 15, 20 years of that prior to that, didn't seem to be an issue. And I mean, you know, given I'm pretty active as well. So, you know, there's the opportunity for me to, as much as I try and look on,
Speaker 0 (8m 29s): Well, I saw you nearly fall outta the car. Well, you coming in here today, I know like if you doing shit like that all the time, I was, there's a reason there's impact wound.
Speaker 3 (8m 38s): I was looking to give you something to talk about,
Speaker 0 (8m 40s): Had nothing else.
Speaker 3 (8m 41s): You can fix me up for that later. Yeah. But yeah, I, no, I just situation. I just had these issues for a long time and it has sort of been brewed in the back of my mind that at some point it was probably gonna have to happen, whether that,
Speaker 0 (8m 53s): And so if the doctors tell you that previously, like here's your options type thing. Not
Speaker 3 (8m 57s): Really, no. It, it had been talked about occasionally, like it might have to happen at some point, like you
Speaker 2 (9m 5s): You'd already had toes amputated because of pressure, wind issues.
Speaker 3 (9m 10s): Yeah. Like I was missing three toes in my right foot from any, from an issue quite a few years ago now. Yeah. And yeah, it was, it was just, it's been an ongoing thing. And so it had always been I'd sort of last couple of years come to the conclusion that it was probably something kinda happen. It was gonna have to happen. Whether that be through my own choice or, you know, I was gonna just wake up in hospital one day and it had already been done and the decision was made. So I kind of had to get my head right. That, you know, that it was probably gonna be a thing.
And so yeah, I ended up in hospital, you know, with, with another infection in my left foot doctor came in and he said to me, well, look, he said, you know the drill you've been here, you know, he'd been here on, have
Speaker 0 (9m 50s): You have the same doctor you've had for a long time? Yeah.
Speaker 3 (9m 52s): This, this guy's he's been with me for a while. So he knows my history and issues and he knows my issues. I'm
Speaker 2 (9m 59s): Not sure anybody knows your issues.
Speaker 3 (10m 1s): Not to the,
Speaker 0 (10m 2s): I hide. He knows what happened with the leaks. There
Speaker 3 (10m 5s): Let's go with that. Let's go with that. But he said, you know, we can hospital antibiotics. He said, you know, there'll be wound care. You know, the drill. He said, you might even be looking at a partial amputation. And I said, and that was it for me. I was like, you know what? Let's do it. It's time. I'm 40. I'm pissed off with all this it's time for me to make.
Speaker 0 (10m 23s): So was that during that conversation?
Speaker 3 (10m 25s): Yeah. Yeah. It was, yeah. Oh amazing.
Speaker 0 (10m 26s): Like I just went, fuck it. Let's do
Speaker 3 (10m 28s): It pretty much. And yeah. And
Speaker 0 (10m 30s): What about the wife?
Speaker 3 (10m 31s): She came into the hospital, come see me. And I said, we need to have a conversation And
Speaker 0 (10m 36s): I, this stage she's thinking, oh fuck, he's gonna die. Yeah.
Speaker 3 (10m 38s): Yeah.
Speaker 0 (10m 40s): She's not that lucky. She's not that lucky.
Speaker 3 (10m 45s): And I just said, look, this is, this is the, she knows. Yeah. We've been married for a good while and she knows the issues. And
Speaker 0 (10m 51s): How long have you been married?
Speaker 3 (10m 53s): 12 years. Okay. Yeah. Coming up. It'll be 13 years next year. Yeah. So in March next year. So, wow. Yeah, you've done well, mate. Yeah, I know. She still,
Speaker 0 (11m 1s): Yeah. Still puts up with, still puts
Speaker 3 (11m 3s): Up with me. I
Speaker 2 (11m 3s): Can't believe she's still there.
Speaker 3 (11m 5s): I
Speaker 0 (11m 6s): Know you keep her saying that. Yeah. Puts with a sanity back in. But,
Speaker 3 (11m 11s): But yeah, we had that conversation and she was like, she was on board. She was like, yeah. You know what? That this is a good move. And you know, every time I'm in hospital, it's a week away from her and it's week away from my boy Fletcher. Yeah. And that kills me. I absolutely hate that. You know. And the,
Speaker 0 (11m 24s): How do you tell how old's Fletcher now? Five. How do you tell your five year olds, son that you're about to get your legs chopped off?
Speaker 3 (11m 29s): It was, it was an interesting conversation And I just said, you know how dad's Al in know hospital quite a lot, cuz I've, I always have infections with my feet and problems with my feet. And he's like, yeah. And I said, well, I've made a pretty big decision that I'm gonna have my legs. I didn't say amputated or whatever. I just said, I'm gonna have my legs taken off. And he got a bit upset. Yeah. Which, you know, you can kind of get, he's kind of, he's pretty attached to, to things. He's five. Yeah. He's five a
Speaker 2 (11m 54s): Bit like you were attached to your head.
Speaker 3 (11m 56s): Yeah. No longer. And you
Speaker 0 (11m 59s): Can't help me. So I love it. She's sitting there giggle it that
Speaker 3 (12m 1s): I, no, can't, doesn't
Speaker 0 (12m 3s): Take all this stuff. Should I say it? Shouldn't I say, I just,
Speaker 2 (12m 6s): Anyway, I do. I have no filter. That's
Speaker 0 (12m 8s): Great. That's what we love.
Speaker 3 (12m 9s): And I, and at first he was, you know, it was like, I don't want you to do it dad. And I said, But I said, you know, all this time, I'm in hospital. And I said, all these summers that we have, And I can't get in the pool with you, cuz I've got bandages on my feet. And I said, that's gonna stop all of those issues. And you know, in my mind I'm also thinking, you know, it's probably gonna keep me here, you know, earth side a little bit longer as
Speaker 0 (12m 30s): Well. Yeah, for sure. Yeah.
Speaker 3 (12m 31s): Look after my body a bit more and whatnot. And anyway, the next day he wanted us in the hospital. He goes, I'm all good with you doing this. Now dad goes, it's not like you use them anyway. And I was like, cool that.
Speaker 0 (12m 41s): Yeah. And had mum had a chat tube that night
Speaker 3 (12m 44s): Probably. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. But I think she did actually. Yeah, there was a little bit, we, we, we're pretty open and honest about those.
Speaker 0 (12m 50s): Well got really
Speaker 3 (12m 51s): A hundred percent and he's not silly. He knows what's going on. So that was, that was good. Like he, and now he just calls him my tiny legs, little stumps in my tiny legs. So yeah.
Speaker 2 (13m 2s): It's although he did ask at some one point, if they were going to grow back
Speaker 3 (13m 5s): Yeah. I've
Speaker 0 (13m 7s): You could scare the shit outta me. What
Speaker 3 (13m 11s): Kids around that age, just have this assumption. I'm like, no, dude, I'm not a lizard. They're not gonna go exactly. Even picking him up from school that yeah. Kids are going bloody hell what happened to your legs? And you know, you've like, it's just, I'm still having that conversation. Love kids.
Speaker 0 (13m 27s): Like it's just so honest about,
Speaker 3 (13m 30s): I had one kid last week comes up to me And I was at the, at school for a father's day thing. And he goes, what? They haven't come grown back yet. And I said, no, mate, they don't grow back. I said the same thing I said, I'm not lizard. They, you know, I said, we don't grow things back like that.
Speaker 0 (13m 45s): So you got one done,
Speaker 3 (13m 46s): I got one done. So, and then
Speaker 0 (13m 48s): You decided, I think you called it a bit of blood pressure gymnastics or something like
Speaker 3 (13m 52s): That. Yeah, yeah, yeah. Yeah. So I had initially the conversation with the, the surgeon was that they were gonna attempt both in one go. Yeah. And he was a bit, yeah, look we'll we'll aim. See how we go aim for that and see how we go. And anyway, my blood pressure, they got halfway through one leg and my blood pressure bottomed out and yeah. So they had to pull up stumps. Where's that? Yeah. That one. Thank you.
Speaker 0 (14m 18s): Blue one. Thank you very much.
Speaker 3 (14m 21s): And, and yeah, basically came outta theater. I opened one eye when I was in recovery looked
Speaker 0 (14m 26s): Cause you only have one leg.
Speaker 3 (14m 27s): Pretty much somebody take that button away from it. I, I was sort of just waking up outta the anesthetic And I opened And I looked down and went shit, still got one leg. Yeah. But you know, I was, I was, I knew that it, it was, you know, a possibility that both weren't gonna get done. So anyway, surgeon said to me, we'll aim to do the other one in a few days, you know, we'll get you, you back in as soon as possible.
Speaker 0 (14m 52s): So, so you stayed in hospital.
Speaker 3 (14m 53s): So I stayed in hospital all of that week, that surgery was the Monday stayed in hospital that week. They were trying to get me in that week and just it again. And it just couldn't happen.
Speaker 0 (15m 3s): So just on that, right? Yeah. So do you pick where you want it chopped? How do they work that out?
Speaker 3 (15m 8s): We had the conversation like, you know, they were talking about below the knee, above the knee and I'm like, well, I don't use 'em so the less, less I've got cut around the better. So we went above the knee. Yeah. And all in
Speaker 2 (15m 19s): And your legs don't bend or didn't bend at the knee either. So they were just gonna end up getting in the way.
Speaker 3 (15m 25s): Yeah. My, my knees were useless. They, you know, it's hard put shoes on and all sorts of stuff. So
Speaker 0 (15m 30s): Turn now.
Speaker 3 (15m 32s): Ah. Yes it is. But I I've gotta work out to do what to do with all my shoe collection. I've got, I've got quite a few there, But I I'm gonna have to figure that out. They're still sitting there
Speaker 2 (15m 43s): Height on the podcast. Yeah.
Speaker 0 (15m 45s): Anyone need any shoot? What size?
Speaker 3 (15m 46s): Seven
Speaker 0 (15m 47s): Size seven male seven. I've
Speaker 3 (15m 49s): Got some good old school there
Speaker 0 (15m 52s): Too. There we go. We got Chuck tail action. I
Speaker 3 (15m 54s): Know need, but yeah. So
Speaker 0 (15m 56s): Maybe some other four year old with a size seven foot.
Speaker 3 (16m 0s): It's like, oh, keep it home. Keep home for Fletcher in future
Speaker 0 (16m 6s): There you'll fit him back
Speaker 3 (16m 7s): About
Speaker 2 (16m 8s): Say no. What are you talking about in the future
Speaker 0 (16m 10s): Now
Speaker 3 (16m 10s): They'll fit him in six months gone. Yeah.
Speaker 0 (16m 13s): So then you got the second one done. Second
Speaker 3 (16m 15s): One done. So they, I was in hospital that week. They sent me home for the weekend. They're like, go home, hang out with your family for a week. Okay. For the weekend. And so I went back in Monday morning, had surgery that morning and spent the rest of that week in hospital. And I went, so
Speaker 2 (16m 29s): I'll tell you what was incredible. So the next morning I've turned up at the hospital to
Speaker 0 (16m 33s): Visit him after the second one. Yeah.
Speaker 2 (16m 34s): And I've arrived. 10:00 AM. He didn't have the surgery until late the afternoon before. And he was up in his chair getting around just as if nothing had,
Speaker 0 (16m 45s): Did you have drains or any of that sort of shit?
Speaker 3 (16m 47s): Yeah. I had, I had a drain in my leg that they had that both, both surgeries. They were in for about 48 hours afterwards. Okay. And, but that was, that was probably the biggest nuisance for me. Cuz like just getting in the drain. Yeah. Getting in and outta the bed and you know, going the bathroom and stuff like that. Every time I'm like having to drag this other thing around, you know, but in hindsight it's probably not
Speaker 0 (17m 7s): A no that bad a thing. It
Speaker 3 (17m 9s): Wasn't the worst thing in the world, but yeah. But I was like, I just kept saying, get rid of this bloody drain. I'm sick of
Speaker 0 (17m 14s): It. You know? So sometimes they say, when you get a limb amputated, you can still feel it. Obviously you couldn't feel it before that was, is there a weird sort of sensation that like that there? You still think they're there? No. How does that
Speaker 3 (17m 26s): Work? No, it's it's funny. I, I haven't, they were like, oh, will you have fandom pain and stuff like that? I'm like, well I had no sensation there before. So
Speaker 0 (17m 34s): Before.
Speaker 3 (17m 34s): Yeah. Probably not, you know, no real nerve activation or anything. So it, it wasn't really an issue. So yeah, no, I've, I've had nothing. I mean,
Speaker 0 (17m 44s): It's not amazing. So are you now obviously you've, you've taken away one of the issues, which is the infection side of things, which has obviously gotta keep you here longer. Yeah. That's the way from that point of view now are you, did they say, okay, well you've been given an extra 2010. What any of that stuff
Speaker 3 (18m 3s): Didn't really say
Speaker 0 (18m 4s): Didn't really go into that. No, I
Speaker 3 (18m 5s): Didn't really say, I mean, people with my disability, one of our biggest enemies is infection. Whether it be, you know, bladder infections or, you know, infections with, you know, limbs or whatever. So
Speaker 0 (18m 16s): We getting rid of that, then obviously that's a hundred
Speaker 3 (18m 18s): Percent bloody good thing Isn. So, you know yeah. Plan is to be here for as long as possible, you
Speaker 0 (18m 23s): Know, enjoy it while you're here,
Speaker 3 (18m 24s): Enjoy it while I'm
Speaker 0 (18m 25s): Here. And you certainly do that. But thanks mate, for instance, the fact that two days later R it about, and as if nothing had
Speaker 2 (18m 31s): Happened, he was, he was back at work one week later. Isn't
Speaker 0 (18m 34s): That
Speaker 3 (18m 35s): I'm, I'm dedicated. I've
Speaker 0 (18m 37s): Got a really got a really weird question
Speaker 3 (18m 39s): For you.
Speaker 0 (18m 39s): Shoot, you know, when you get a tooth out or something like that and you asked to keep it in a plastic bag.
Speaker 2 (18m 44s): Yeah. Well good. We had some weird conversations.
Speaker 3 (18m 47s): Yeah. I was like, oh, Isn,
Speaker 0 (18m 48s): Isn there going really
Speaker 3 (18m 50s): With, you know, full of whatever it is, you know?
Speaker 0 (18m 53s): And just for
Speaker 3 (18m 55s): Malda height for Malda height, that's
Speaker 2 (18m 57s): All. So in, in dedication to his legs, I had, I had a plaque made for him. That's got a photograph of his old legs And I, can you remember what it said on it? Oh, you've put it up in your Adam.
Speaker 3 (19m 9s): Adam's in loving memory of Adam's legs. 1982 to 2022
Speaker 2 (19m 15s): Forever. Remember
Speaker 3 (19m 17s): It lasted, it lasted about four days on our TV cabinet. Cause I just thought it was the best thing ever and mysteriously my wife, it disappeared. My mysteriously mysteriously. I know. Well I know where it is. It's it's just been moved to a less obvious place where my, my darling wife doesn't have to look at it constantly.
Speaker 2 (19m 35s): I kind of loved it. I
Speaker 0 (19m 36s): Thought it was. I think it's great. Oh, me
Speaker 3 (19m 38s): Too. The other thing is I bought a wa I've got a water bottle and for all the world, it looks like an urn. So I've decided now that's
Speaker 0 (19m 45s): The leg
Speaker 3 (19m 46s): Earn. Yeah. So I've decided now I'm gonna put Adam's legs 20, 22 on it. I'm gonna get the little plaque, you know, the, just go to a misdemeanor. It's
Speaker 0 (19m 53s): A great idea.
Speaker 3 (19m 53s): Yeah. Yeah. We'll just freak a few people out.
Speaker 0 (19m 55s): That's one's all leave near the front door
Speaker 3 (19m 57s): While
Speaker 0 (19m 58s): You walk. Hang on. I'm just bringing my legs with me. Put on the bench
Speaker 3 (20m 0s): And I I'm meanwhile, I'm drinking out of it. Yeah.
Speaker 0 (20m 5s): That's so sick. I love it. Why not? It's good. So no pain, no nothing. No, no infections is all cleared up and all
Speaker 3 (20m 11s): Healed up really well. I was seeing the amputee clinic at the go coast uni hospital. I saw them twice and then they decided they didn't need to see me anymore. They're sort of
Speaker 0 (20m 19s): Ma is that what, after you started talking to 'em or actually when your legs got better.
Speaker 3 (20m 22s): Yeah, yeah. Both but their main, so aim is to get people who want to use prosthetics and you know, for me that wasn't ever gonna be a thing. Yeah. What, isn't an option. So that was sort of just keeping an eye that my Stuss and making sure everything was healing the way it should and swelling and all the rest of it and yeah. And then like, we don't need sea anymore and that's pretty cool Isn it. Yeah. Which is cool. And I, you know, I had a few check-ins with my GP just to make sure the, the scars were healing nicely.
Yep. And I see the surgeon tomorrow.
Speaker 0 (20m 56s): Oh, okay. Get the all clear and get the tick
Speaker 3 (20m 58s): Off. I haven't. And I haven't seen him since hospital, so it's been, you know, a while. Yeah. Yeah. So everything's just,
Speaker 0 (21m 4s): Oh, that's such good news, bud
Speaker 3 (21m 5s): Ticking along quite nicely.
Speaker 0 (21m 7s): So you see it as a, obviously as a positive thing. Do you, does it make you happy or do you sit there some days and go like that's a bit sad or that's never gone into your head.
Speaker 3 (21m 17s): I've I've, you know, I'm, I'm an emotional being I am and is, And I know that task will attest to that. Yeah. But I, I've not had a moment at all of regret of regret
Speaker 0 (21m 28s): Isn. Isn't that
Speaker 3 (21m 29s): Good? The best thing I, I sit there and I've said this on numerous occasions And I I'm, like, I wish I'd had the, the, the foresight to do this 20 years ago. Like when all this stuff started happening. Yeah. Like just, I mean,
Speaker 0 (21m 40s): But you wouldn't have been in the same head spoke 20
Speaker 3 (21m 42s): Years ago. Oh, absolutely not. You know, it was before marriage and it was before kids and you know, it was, it was all about
Speaker 0 (21m 47s): Married you for your hot leg.
Speaker 3 (21m 48s): Ah, a hundred percent. Yeah. For my tiny
Speaker 0 (21m 52s): Legs, you can tell her that. Yeah. I will better watch out there, but no, mate, that's such good news. It's all better. And now you can actually sort of start doing thing and just, just cuz you can't get outta your own car. That's a different story.
Speaker 3 (22m 6s): All I know, I threw myself, I was thrown out myself outta the car before this. I'd like to say that that's an excuse, But
Speaker 0 (22m 12s): I no, But I actually felt more useless cuz I grabbed a TA's chair And I had no idea what to do with it. It's like, there you go. You win. It's all good. Now young lady. Hi. You're like how many award what's going on? Oh, Hey what a year?
Speaker 2 (22m 28s): Yeah. It
Speaker 0 (22m 28s): Seriously been. You're now a professional athlete again,
Speaker 2 (22m 32s): Back finally back into the
Speaker 0 (22m 35s): Things I, you obviously weren't well last year was it last
Speaker 2 (22m 37s): Year? Yeah. I was having some health issues and having to take a little bit of time out from things and yeah, we we've, we've got back into it quite heavily. The
Speaker 0 (22m 46s): Past week as you how's your coach going?
Speaker 2 (22m 48s): Yeah. Mean he does ride. He's a bit of a pain in the ARS. Yeah. You know, he gets, he gets legless at work, But
Speaker 0 (22m 54s): I go got it.
Speaker 2 (22m 56s): Geez. He goes alright. I guess
Speaker 0 (22m 58s): So you beat you back into it fully now.
Speaker 2 (22m 60s): Yeah. Yeah. So we are off to Hobart marathon next week. Next weekend. What
Speaker 0 (23m 6s): Date
Speaker 2 (23m 6s): We go on?
Speaker 3 (23m 7s): You go on Saturday,
Speaker 2 (23m 9s): Saturday on the 24th. Oh,
Speaker 0 (23m 10s): Near the following week bug. I love to have come to.
Speaker 2 (23m 13s): Yeah. So the marathon itself is on the 25th then.
Speaker 0 (23m 17s): So you did a short course, one recently and then did a marathon the next day or something stupid. So, or the next week or whatever.
Speaker 2 (23m 24s): Yeah, we, I did the 10 K jetty jetty and then did the sunshine coast half marathon a week later. Yeah. That's crazy. This, this is crazy. What we've got going on at the moment. So obviously we've got Hobart after
Speaker 0 (23m 38s): Is that full or
Speaker 2 (23m 39s): Half? That's just a half, but it's nothing
Speaker 0 (23m 41s): Just a half. It's only 26 guys.
Speaker 2 (23m 44s): It's nothing but Hills it's it's gonna be
Speaker 0 (23m 47s): Good coming down. Think of the
Speaker 2 (23m 49s): Positives coming on. Great. Coming down. Interesting. Going up.
Speaker 0 (23m 52s): How do you slow yourself down actually coming down those Hills or you don't
Speaker 2 (23m 55s): Not easily. There's there is a break on the front wheel, which you can tap gently because you
Speaker 0 (24m 1s): Know when otherwise you'll go over the top wouldn't and
Speaker 2 (24m 3s): That's happened to me. There's
Speaker 3 (24m 4s): That? There's no weight on the front wheels of the racing chair and that's where the break is. So if you
Speaker 0 (24m 9s): A bit too hard,
Speaker 3 (24m 10s): If you over, if you overdo the break yet, just end up skiing the wheel. So yeah, it's a, it's
Speaker 2 (24m 16s): A it's it's interesting. So I'm doing Auckland marathon on the
Speaker 0 (24m 22s): Just half or you can do the full
Speaker 2 (24m 23s): One. No, the full one with that. So I'm the course record holder there. So I'm I want to go back
Speaker 0 (24m 28s): And, and break it. Yes. And are you fit in now than you were when you broke the course record?
Speaker 2 (24m 33s): Yeah. I'm, I'm pretty much close to my height of fitness again. That
Speaker 0 (24m 39s): Must make you feel good too. Yeah, it does.
Speaker 2 (24m 41s): It really, really does fitness wise. I I'm, I have no concerns about doing, doing marathons again at the moment. It's more that I'm, I'm getting wiped a lot easier than I used to because oh yeah. Cuz I'm I'm an old duck now
Speaker 0 (24m 57s): Just
Speaker 3 (24m 58s): Age
Speaker 0 (24m 58s): Thing. Can't say that though. Can
Speaker 3 (24m 60s): I can I'm a coach. Yeah, you
Speaker 2 (25m 1s): Can. He can say whatever the hell he likes. I make him pay for it.
Speaker 0 (25m 4s): Ignore, but that's okay.
Speaker 2 (25m 6s): Yeah. So, and, and it's just somewhat ongoing health stuff, but that's that happens.
Speaker 0 (25m 13s): So was Birmingham an option or not?
Speaker 2 (25m 15s): No, I couldn't qualify because all of my events got canceled, which, which was really, really frustrating for me. Especially
Speaker 0 (25m 22s): If you were like fit as well.
Speaker 2 (25m 23s): Yeah. I, I was at a point where I could have
Speaker 0 (25m 25s): Qualified green, a gold or white and red.
Speaker 2 (25m 27s): Oh, green and gold way. Yeah, yeah, yeah. Like that. I, I, as much as I'm English, I, all of my opportunity has come from being in this country and, and, and my heart lies here because of that. So yeah. And I just, I would always go OIE green and gold. Always, always,
Speaker 3 (25m 45s): I, I wouldn't be around if she was going
Speaker 0 (25m 47s): Way. Trust me, coach quits. Why Bobby?
Speaker 2 (25m 51s): Oh, he says that to me quite often,
Speaker 0 (25m 53s): But I quit is ignoring. Go.
Speaker 2 (25m 57s): Exactly. You're going
Speaker 0 (25m 58s): Anywhere you take me home.
Speaker 2 (26m 0s): And then after Auckland, we've got we're off to Japan in November to, to go and do that's gonna be cool to go and do the O marathon Weta. Yes. So Northern Japan, they
Speaker 0 (26m 12s): Fold or warm up there
Speaker 2 (26m 13s): Cold to
Speaker 3 (26m 15s): Southern Southern Japan.
Speaker 2 (26m 16s): You sure it's not
Speaker 0 (26m 17s): Somewhere in Japan,
Speaker 2 (26m 19s): But I I'd actually, it's not that big country. Don't think I've I don't think I've looked. I don't
Speaker 0 (26m 23s): Think I've we're
Speaker 3 (26m 23s): We're
Speaker 2 (26m 24s): It's eight, eight hour drive from Tokyo. That's all I know.
Speaker 3 (26m 27s): We're gonna have people listening to this who know and go, oh
Speaker 0 (26m 30s): My God. Oh my God. They don't even know where they're racing. It's AOUS so, cause that'd be quite hilly too, wouldn't it? No,
Speaker 2 (26m 36s): I, I think the course isn't too bad. Okay. It's it's the biggest wheelchair. One of the, or the biggest wheelchair marathon in the world. Oh
Speaker 0 (26m 44s): Wow. How many people?
Speaker 2 (26m 46s): They usually have a couple of hundred. So for wh for wheelchair racing that that's a, that's huge.
Speaker 0 (26m 51s): That's
Speaker 2 (26m 51s): Massive. And
Speaker 0 (26m 53s): I trying to overtake people at a start.
Speaker 2 (26m 54s): Yeah. It's interesting. It's very, very interesting. And I it's a biannual event, so really, really, really looking forward to this one. And it's my first time in Japan and I've been so many places around the world in Japan's always been on my bucket list.
Speaker 0 (27m 10s): So is Japan very all ability friendly?
Speaker 3 (27m 13s): Yes. My understanding it is,
Speaker 0 (27m 15s): And I I've seen some of the bullet trains and stuff like that, where they actually then move people, put the ramps down that you're on. Like there's a lot of stuff like that, that
Speaker 2 (27m 23s): They, they, they seem to do it incredibly well. When, when we have, when we see the wheelies that have come from Japan for races, they're always so well equipped. Oh really? You know, even their day chairs are incredible. And I think, I think they seem to get it most of the time. Oh,
Speaker 0 (27m 39s): That's good. Yeah.
Speaker 2 (27m 40s): Yeah.
Speaker 0 (27m 41s): So let's go back a little bit then what have we won this year?
Speaker 2 (27m 46s): Okay. Trying to remember. So Oceania championships. Gold. Yeah. Gold in the 1, 2, 4, and 800. Hang
Speaker 0 (27m 57s): On. No, it's one of the orange buttons. I'm thinking wrong one. That one, there you go. Good job. Sorry.
Speaker 2 (28m 10s): Oceana. So I'm the, so I'm obviously neither the, the gold medallist and the
Speaker 0 (28m 15s): It's right? The records.
Speaker 2 (28m 16s): Yes. But hang on here. Here's here's a little flavor. What's the, of that one. The butt is the, it was the first year where they
Speaker 0 (28m 24s): Held
Speaker 2 (28m 25s): For wheelchair races.
Speaker 0 (28m 26s): Still current record holder. Yeah.
Speaker 2 (28m 30s): After that. Oh, we have like Queensland state championships.
Speaker 0 (28m 33s): How do you go from like short? Cause you obviously there's a few different distances. Yeah. And you obviously do marathons. Yes. Is it much different from a huge
Speaker 2 (28m 42s): Difference?
Speaker 0 (28m 42s): Because like, I know when a runner, like if you asked a hundred meter sprinter to run 400 meters, they can't do it. Yeah.
Speaker 2 (28m 49s): It's, it's, it's, it's very, very different intensity. Your work.
Speaker 0 (28m 53s): It's a different way to push
Speaker 2 (28m 54s): As well. Yes. The technique is different. It's I mean, it's not, it's not hugely different in the way it is with, with an able body runner, but there is, you are moving your arms at a much, much quicker pace. Yeah. And your,
Speaker 0 (29m 6s): So you grab lower on the wheel or something. Is there like a technique
Speaker 2 (29m 9s): Like that? No, it it's. I tend to sit slightly up, more in my chair to get myself started at a quick start. And it's all about getting those quick muscle fibers working. Oh, okay. And when I'm, when you're doing a marathon push, you are trying to conserve energy a bit so that the push technique is different.
Speaker 0 (29m 27s): You, so they bigger pushes.
Speaker 2 (29m 28s): So you're trying to get all the way around the push rim and, and kind of get a lot of height in your arms in order to do that. But
Speaker 3 (29m 35s): Marathon you're spending a lot more time on the push room and just, you know, a longer push, whereas yeah. Like in a hundred,
Speaker 0 (29m 41s): Well here it's actually more, yeah.
Speaker 2 (29m 43s): Go short, go in health forever. And just
Speaker 0 (29m 45s): Because it's amazing, like any athlete being able to do a short distance analog is that's unbelievable.
Speaker 2 (29m 51s): It's, it's not as unusual in wheelchair racing as it would be in able bodied sports. So there are quite a few people in wh in wheelchair racing, do
Speaker 0 (29m 60s): The
Speaker 2 (30m 0s): Crossover the, yeah.
Speaker 0 (30m 2s): Not as quick as you though.
Speaker 2 (30m 5s): So anyway. Yeah. We'll see. We'll see what happens with that. I really, really enjoy doing the short sprints. Yeah. I was a as a, as a junior athlete, as enable bodied athlete, I was always a sprinter, always hundred meters. That's I, I couldn't have imagined doing anything more than 200. So only since I've gotten older that I enjoy the challenge of marathon, but
Speaker 0 (30m 28s): Is that, what is it means you get to stay away from him longer.
Speaker 2 (30m 30s): Yeah, I know. Right. So, cause that's
Speaker 0 (30m 33s): Exactly what it, I've got a good hour here.
Speaker 2 (30m 35s): It's exactly what it is. So yeah. So we had that. We had Queensland state championships
Speaker 0 (30m 42s): Winner.
Speaker 2 (30m 43s): Yeah, yeah. One, two and 400. Yeah. Then we had nationals. I was the bronze medallist in the 400. Yeah. Then we, we got went over to marathon season. Yeah. After that didn't we? So,
Speaker 0 (30m 59s): Oh, so two different seasons. You don't do like your sprints and in the same.
Speaker 2 (31m 3s): No, no different.
Speaker 3 (31m 4s): Yeah. Yeah. So
Speaker 0 (31m 5s): How do you do that as a coach? Cause obviously you've gotta prepare her to get to that particular.
Speaker 3 (31m 12s): So Ma for marathon in marathon season for us, we generally will do mostly road sessions or we use there's a, like a two K crit track criterion track at runaway bay. So it's, it's a road surface, but it's not road that cars drive on or whatever. Yeah. So it's a little bit safer. I mean, just it's, it's hard for us to find road surface. That's
Speaker 0 (31m 32s): Heading over with the cyclists going down there. Ah,
Speaker 3 (31m 35s): They
Speaker 2 (31m 35s): They're pretty, they know us and they've gotten used to us.
Speaker 0 (31m 37s): Oh, okay. Yeah.
Speaker 3 (31m 38s): They're pretty good. But so
Speaker 0 (31m 40s): Do you train weather as well? Cause obviously you race as well, but you normally in a normal chair.
Speaker 3 (31m 43s): Yeah, yeah, yeah. Yeah. So on the crit track, generally I'm sort of sitting there just barking orders and stuff like that. I do have a hand cycle that when we go out, used to go out in the road, we don't
Speaker 0 (31m 55s): Go with
Speaker 3 (31m 55s): That. So I can go with that. But it's,
Speaker 2 (31m 58s): We're trying to get you back into a racing,
Speaker 3 (31m 60s): Trying to get me back into a racing chair as well.
Speaker 2 (32m 2s): We're doing some fundraising for that at the moment we've
Speaker 0 (32m 4s): Got for what? The racing chair, how much is the racing chair?
Speaker 2 (32m 6s): So it's about $10,000 to get a, to get
Speaker 0 (32m 9s): A racing. Well, let's put a big shout out there and let's try and get
Speaker 2 (32m 11s): Done. So we've gotta GoFundMe at the moment. We're around about 2000.
Speaker 0 (32m 14s): So we're gonna share that link on this thing as well. Thank you. Thank for the three listeners. No, we'll send this out to everyone. We'll we'll get that done. Well,
Speaker 3 (32m 23s): She, she keeps saying, you know that, you know, she's gonna kick my button a chair. I'm like, well, I've gotta prove her
Speaker 0 (32m 28s): Wrong. So it's gonna be a challenge. And I,
Speaker 3 (32m 30s): Hey,
Speaker 2 (32m 30s): I need some competition. I
Speaker 3 (32m 32s): Might be
Speaker 2 (32m 32s): Not, not that he will be, but you know,
Speaker 3 (32m 34s): I might be a, has been, but you know, I can, I've still got some tricks up my sleeve.
Speaker 0 (32m 37s): So, But I still guarantee that when you get in that race chair, it's gonna be a different ball game Isn, isn't it? Oh yeah, yeah. Oh yeah. Oh
Speaker 3 (32m 43s): Yeah, yeah. Yeah. My mouths saying things and you that that's okay. My body probably
Speaker 0 (32m 48s): Can't only gotta do it once mate. It's all this one win. Then you're done. You pack it up. We
Speaker 3 (32m 53s): Retire. I've been here, I've done this.
Speaker 2 (32m 55s): I know I have to. I have to remember that he's, you know, the Australian record holder and a lot of events And I keep, I keep running my mouth off, but it's like, it's likely also that he's male. So he's likely to beat my ass.
Speaker 3 (33m 8s): I'm I'm only, you know, 20 years older and you know, few kilos heavier you can't actually probably not just lost my legs.
Speaker 2 (33m 15s): You cannot use age. I am two years older than you. Yeah. Yeah.
Speaker 0 (33m 20s): But girls are more mature. Yeah.
Speaker 3 (33m 22s): Yeah. But
Speaker 2 (33m 24s): I can't, I dunno about
Speaker 3 (33m 25s): Me. I, I resemble that remark. Exactly.
Speaker 0 (33m 29s): I can use this one. There you go. Hey, I got the right button. So what's the next big target? France Paris.
Speaker 2 (33m 37s): Yes. Hopefully. Hopefully. So they've just released some of the qualifying standards for things I'm looking at the
Speaker 0 (33m 43s): That's 24, isn't it? Yeah.
Speaker 2 (33m 45s): It's yeah. 24. Yeah. But in 2023. So next year, the world championships. Okay.
Speaker 0 (33m 50s): Where
Speaker 2 (33m 51s): Are they? So that they're also in Paris. Okay. So they, I, I was looking at the qualifying times. So for the, that it won't be marathon it'll this is just for sprints. Yeah. For the 100 meters. It's 1830 it's 18 seconds. 18.3. Yeah. And I I'm really bad in competition. I, I struggle to get, is
Speaker 0 (34m 18s): It nerves or is
Speaker 2 (34m 19s): It my nerves really get to me? Yeah. And my health, like the problem is I get nervous. And because I'm type one diabetic that,
Speaker 0 (34m 27s): That affects you,
Speaker 2 (34m 27s): Health affects my blood sugars and then I have a bad race because of it. And I have gotta get a couple
Speaker 0 (34m 34s): Of things. That's gotta be a head thing now as well.
Speaker 2 (34m 35s): It is a hundred percent. And I, And I think I get much more nervous on sprints than I do on road because 180 road the road. Well, I just I'm, I'm just
Speaker 0 (34m 47s): Siren.
Speaker 2 (34m 47s): I'm a pain in the ass. That's my problem. Yes. I mean, but anyway, I, I, I've got 18 flat in training, so I know I can do it. Yep. I just have to get on a decent track and get, and
Speaker 0 (35m 1s): So does that have to be in a competition that you
Speaker 2 (35m 3s): Yeah, so it has to be, it has to be in a ratified competition. Okay. We are looking at increasing our number of track events for next season. So, and that's the, that's the other thing, because I qualify from the previous year I've I only ever go straight in and do state championships nationals, And I need to get some of the smaller races. And so I get a bit more so
Speaker 0 (35m 23s): You can get a smaller racing. Can you qualify in that race?
Speaker 2 (35m 26s): Yeah. So long, so long, it
Speaker 0 (35m 28s): It's ratified.
Speaker 2 (35m 28s): It's ratified. Yeah. Which, yeah. Which a lot of them locally are. So that's, that's the plan for next season
Speaker 0 (35m 35s): To, so you're gonna, Parisburg
Speaker 3 (35m 36s): Absolutely.
Speaker 0 (35m 37s): As a competitor or coach, if we get you back in this chair, coach.
Speaker 3 (35m 43s): Yeah. Master division,
Speaker 0 (35m 46s): Could you can there you reckon.
Speaker 3 (35m 48s): Yeah. Ah, look with a lot of effort and yeah, probably. I mean, I, I I'd love to get back in a racing chair. I'm probably, I I'm doing it more to, you know, train with TA of of course. Yeah. And, and, but there's probably,
Speaker 0 (35m 59s): There's gotta be a bit of hunger there.
Speaker 2 (36m 1s): He's he's a competitive soul and he's saying this. No, but yeah.
Speaker 3 (36m 6s): We'll see
Speaker 0 (36m 7s): The next time he comes in, he is gonna be buff. Come
Speaker 3 (36m 10s): On. There's actually,
Speaker 0 (36m 11s): And I saw you training the other day. Oh yeah. When you were doing, which looked very music when you're doing your leg, grow things. Yeah. And obviously for your hips and all that sort of stuff, but there wasn't much moving.
Speaker 3 (36m 22s): No, no, no. I've I've so since losing the legs, I've got a whole new bunch of trips up tricks up my sleeve. It's so much fun. Like there's just there's so someone
Speaker 0 (36m 33s): Must walk in the gym, go, what the fuck?
Speaker 3 (36m 36s): It's like, when the hell did they hang on, I saw you two weeks go. And
Speaker 0 (36m 41s): Where
Speaker 2 (36m 41s): The hell did your legs go?
Speaker 3 (36m 43s): Something's missing. I'm not sure what though.
Speaker 0 (36m 46s): So your competitive in nature will probably get you to have a little crack
Speaker 3 (36m 50s): Look. Yeah. It, it probably will like,
Speaker 0 (36m 52s): So what would that be? Would that be marathon or be shorts
Speaker 3 (36m 54s): Nod, be sure. Well, no, probably be 10 K's I reckon 10, 10 Ks is always sort of been what I, what I enjoy. Yeah. And I probably dabble. I'd probably dabble. Yeah.
Speaker 0 (37m 4s): Just
Speaker 2 (37m 5s): 10. You've gotta be a certain level of crazy to want to do marathon, I think.
Speaker 0 (37m 9s): Oh yeah. I gonna
Speaker 3 (37m 10s): Say
Speaker 2 (37m 10s): Like, definitely that. Yeah. Yeah.
Speaker 0 (37m 12s): No. Do you wear a headphones just as a matter of interest?
Speaker 2 (37m 14s): No, you're not allowed to,
Speaker 0 (37m 15s): Oh, you're not allowed to. Okay. So what do you do for, how long does the marathon take you?
Speaker 2 (37m 21s): Marathon's about two hours. Yeah. I'm concentrating on what I'm doing and
Speaker 0 (37m 26s): It's funny. Oh, you are. So you're actually in a
Speaker 2 (37m 28s): Concentration. I'm in, I'm in a zone and I'm often counting my stroke And I know that sounds really weird, But I I'm always counting in my head to
Speaker 0 (37m 37s): Drive. Does that then allow you to know how fast to go?
Speaker 2 (37m 39s): Yeah, it helps. Cause I can't see the, the, the Speedo to be able to, because I'm obviously visually prepared. So I can't, I can't see the Speedo. So for me, I'm counting over seconds to make sure that I'm keeping my push rate at where it should be to be able to stay at the pace that I want. Yeah. And I just, it, it allows me to remain focused. I'm always thinking about what I'm doing. I don't, yeah. I don't really leave that, that kind of head space where I'm not
Speaker 0 (38m 10s): Thinking, well you'd be singing or something, wouldn't you a
Speaker 3 (38m 12s): Hundred percent would
Speaker 0 (38m 13s): Be sort trying to get outta your own head. Absolutely.
Speaker 2 (38m 16s): Actually the only time I'm not thinking is if I've heard your phone ringing and I've heard your ring tone, that generally stays in my head. The entire session. Yeah, yeah. Yeah.
Speaker 3 (38m 26s): I, I aim to be, make those as annoying as humanly
Speaker 2 (38m 29s): Possible. Yeah. It's usually like Jeremiah was a bullfrog or something along those, those lines.
Speaker 3 (38m 33s): Great song song. Great song.
Speaker 0 (38m 36s): Not for about two hours while she trying to
Speaker 2 (38m 38s): Do a marathon. And it's usually the, like the same two lines that just go through my head as well. Gotta
Speaker 0 (38m 45s): Learn TOKY looks And I, yeah.
Speaker 3 (38m 47s): Gotta learn to know all the lyrics, you know, learn
Speaker 2 (38m 49s): All the
Speaker 3 (38m 49s): Lyric, a
Speaker 2 (38m 50s): Song then you, well, there's not a song I'd ever heard until I met you. Wow.
Speaker 3 (38m 53s): You
Speaker 0 (38m 54s): Know, like you go, that's easy. Isn't it?
Speaker 3 (38m 55s): I like to educate where possible.
Speaker 0 (38m 59s): So you guys obviously are athletes or sorry, an athlete and a coach potentially soon to be two athletes. Let's go there. Yeah. But you also do amazing things with VI. How's that going?
Speaker 2 (39m 10s): Amazingly? Yeah. Yeah. Go
Speaker 0 (39m 12s): And read. What are you up to?
Speaker 2 (39m 13s): So, oh God, what we not up to we've
Speaker 0 (39m 17s): Other than winning awards of money, obviously
Speaker 3 (39m 19s): Continually developing the program. So we do, we run a few different programs. So passion, purpose, finding your why resilience, resilience, program, motivation, motivation program, stuff like that. And we were starting out to run. We were running ticketed events for those, you know, hiring out a venue and, and you know, and then COVID hit and
Speaker 0 (39m 41s): Stuffed everything up. Yeah.
Speaker 3 (39m 42s): Stuffed everything. So we're looking, we we're in the process of moving all that content over to an app at the moment. Oh great. Yeah. And so it'll be a subscription app. Yep. So basically people it's self-paced people go through it. And then instead of having regular ticketed events, like we were like, we were doing, we're gonna do sort of one every six months. Right. And just have
Speaker 0 (40m 4s): A massive event.
Speaker 3 (40m 6s): Everyone who subscribes automatically gets into that as well. And, and we have like a, a tour or three day sort of conference, I guess, type thing, summit Isn.
Speaker 2 (40m 15s): Yeah. Will have them guest speakers and obviously us running, running programs. And you know, obviously
Speaker 0 (40m 21s): He won't be running. He's an elected.
Speaker 2 (40m 22s): No, no, he doesn't run very well, but neither do I.
Speaker 0 (40m 25s): Oh. Although went twice.
Speaker 3 (40m 28s): Isn awkward. I'm worse at hurdles now than I used to. I've
Speaker 2 (40m 32s): Actually hurdles. Apparently
Speaker 0 (40m 34s): That's like between the three of us, we've all got Australian records in the room. Yeah. I don't hold any of you guys do, but between us all we do. Yeah.
Speaker 3 (40m 42s): That's
Speaker 0 (40m 42s): I like to think of it.
Speaker 3 (40m 43s): Love it.
Speaker 2 (40m 45s): So on and on top of the, the motivational mindset type stuff, we also do accessibility And I inclusion consulting. We run disability awareness programs, diversity, And I inclusion training. We've we've published work workbooks for all of our programs as well.
Speaker 0 (41m 3s): So have you written your books
Speaker 2 (41m 5s): Yet? I've actually I've, I've got somebody who's working as a ghost writer for me who is publishing a book with me included in it. So that that's not your story. It is my story. Yeah. But it's a, you know, an abridged version of it at the moment. So, but yes, I'm, I'm looking to write a book in the next 12 months. It's just finding the time
Speaker 0 (41m 29s): What I've found is so I've had three published. Now what I've found is this is the best way to do it. Oh yeah. So by talking it and then transcribing it and then it's just editing it. Yeah. So like all these stories that you're telling there's, there's actually, one of the next book is oops, I, this podcast, which is all these stories. So there'll be, your stories will be in that book because they, the amazing stories are the amazing Humans. Yeah. So the thing I found though, it's actually a lot easier to sit there and transcribe it and just chat to people and talk to people and then actually change and makes the book a lot easier.
Right. But, but if I can help you with that, more than happy to, so let's talk about that. Cause everything, the next that is either a TV series or a movie has to happen.
Speaker 3 (42m 10s): Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. Yeah. I was, I was think I've often thought about, you know, books and all that sort of stuff and yeah. And now, you know, now I've done the legs. I'm like, oh yeah. That's, that's probably something I could do now. You know?
Speaker 0 (42m 22s): Well, cuz what your story was shit before you lost your legs, is that you say he
Speaker 3 (42m 25s): Doesn't,
Speaker 2 (42m 26s): He
Speaker 0 (42m 26s): Does, he got no idea. He
Speaker 2 (42m 27s): Doesn't see it in the way that other people do. He always, he always says, says things like, oh, but Tasha know your story. It's it's incredible. And
Speaker 0 (42m 36s): I you're only blind and disabled. I've got my legs. It's seriously
Speaker 2 (42m 39s): Isn. I know. I know. Just
Speaker 0 (42m 41s): Have he's annoying. Isn't he? Yeah. How about we just talk. Believe him, man.
Speaker 3 (42m 45s): You just go away.
Speaker 0 (42m 46s): I'll just bet you can't. I bet you can't buddy.
Speaker 2 (42m 49s): It'll
Speaker 0 (42m 49s): Take seconds. He's trying so hard. But seriously, these stories have to get out there because there are other people in the world that need to know this stuff. And the fact that even like, And I know we took the piss out of it earlier, but the decision you made is fucking enormous, right? It was the right decision for you a
Speaker 3 (43m 8s): Hundred percent.
Speaker 0 (43m 9s): How many other people are out there that have the exact same disability that you have, have the exact same issues. Yeah. Sit there and go. Oh, But I might upset someone if I do that,
Speaker 3 (43m 18s): I've I've
Speaker 0 (43m 19s): Tell you that's this whole thing.
Speaker 3 (43m 21s): It, it is a, it, it is a deeply, deeply personal decision make course. Of course it is. I've had people say to me, you know, and message me and ask me about the process and you know, just my mindset. And, and as far as you know, what I've been through to, to come to that conclusion, cuz you know, there are people out there that are facing or, and are facing similar things to, you know, what I've been through as far as, you know, the situation with Ma my legs and whatnot. But you know, it's it's, it is purely a, it is a personal decision.
And I always say to people, look, it's, it's the most amazing thing that I've done while you know it, for me, it was is absolutely the right decision. It's not the right decision for everyone.
Speaker 0 (44m 1s): But the fact that you've made the decision, I think that's the critical part. And the thing is people are scared to make decisions. Yeah. And people won't do stuff cuz they care what other people think. Yeah. Whereas you don't give fuck that's that's the whole point of this, right? Yeah. Absolutely. It's about you. It's about your family. It's about your business partners. It's about all family, you're all family anyway. But you know what I mean? Like it's, that's your decisions made for you. Yep. And then you go to your family and say, this is what I'm gonna do. Yep. And the fact that you've done that for yourself personally front is the only thing that matters here.
You,
Speaker 3 (44m 31s): It would've been interesting. Had I have, you know, made that call, literally talked, told the doctor, this is what I want to do. Then get my wife in and go. This is one and then she'd go. No, no, no. Don't I think I would've been a bit up. She Creek really? But would've been fun. It would've
Speaker 0 (44m 44s): Been interesting conversation, But I it's, honey only got one done. It's
Speaker 3 (44m 48s): Kind of already booked in.
Speaker 0 (44m 49s): Oh, in halfway.
Speaker 3 (44m 51s): It's already happening. But
Speaker 0 (44m 53s): Yeah. But the thing is also, you know, your wife. Yeah. And she knows that you have to do shit for you. I'm the same. I've been married for nearly 30 years now. And the fact that I tell her every single day, how lucky she is, she still rolls. She rolls her eyes and we just get on with the day. But the thing is, I've done it every single morning since we've actually been together. And she just looks at me and shakes her head. I know it's gonna be a good day. Cuz she shook her head at me. I'd be really concerned if she goes, yeah, I am
Speaker 3 (45m 19s): Hang on a minute's what's going on.
Speaker 0 (45m 20s): But the big thing here is, you know, your people, you know who you are and there's a lot of people out there that wish they did. And I think there's stuff that you guys do by finding your why by all that sort of power within stuff I think is really, really important for everyone Abody disabled, whatever you want to call all ability. We like to call it. Yeah. Is the fact of anyone needs to know this shit and just being told and saying, Hey, I made my decision. That's up to me. It's up to you. What decision you wanna make then? That's that to me is all that matters.
Yeah,
Speaker 3 (45m 51s): Absolutely. I mean, for me understanding, you know, my, you know, my course and you know what I'm meant, not, you know, what I'm meant to be doing and, and all that, you know, and having the, that ability and that thought, that thought process really helped with that decision. You know? And you know, the fact that I knew I'd get through it at the other end and now over long it took, but you know, I could see long term and know that long term it was gonna be a good option for me and sort me sort my issues out, which is some of them sort your issues.
Some of them
Speaker 0 (46m 23s): From the legs down from the thighs down the rest is all fucked
Speaker 3 (46m 26s): Up. Yeah.
Speaker 0 (46m 29s): Yeah. Okay. So we're gonna wrap it up in a sec. Cool. What's next? What's next for you? Dash eighties first
Speaker 2 (46m 36s): God. Yeah. So obviously, I mean, you know, working towards the Paralympic stuff and hoping, so
Speaker 0 (46m 42s): Is that the goal
Speaker 2 (46m 43s): That, that that's
Speaker 0 (46m 44s): The, that's at the top of the ultimate,
Speaker 2 (46m 45s): That's the ultimate goal for me? I, I would
Speaker 0 (46m 48s): Be the MPN. How far?
Speaker 2 (46m 50s): I mean, I'd love to be able to say that I've represented Australia, both marathon and a hundred meters. That would be, that would be the goal, but yeah.
Speaker 3 (46m 60s): Show off.
Speaker 2 (47m 0s): Yeah, I know.
Speaker 0 (47m 1s): How good would that be? Oh, it
Speaker 3 (47m 3s): Would be,
Speaker 0 (47m 3s): It'd be awesome. And the fact that leafy came home with two medals a bit better, but the fact that you've actually done it in such different disciplines is yeah. And wouldn't be many people that do that.
Speaker 2 (47m 12s): It's not even about getting the medal for me. It's becoming an Olympian. I know. But at the same time it's more about representing a country that I love so much. That's given me so much.
Speaker 3 (47m 22s): So it's
Speaker 0 (47m 23s): Like your little bit to give back.
Speaker 2 (47m 24s): Yeah, yeah, exactly, exactly. And obviously, and then we've got with the business stuff, we, we've got so many big goals and big dreams and we wanna take this thing international and just there Isn and make, make a huge difference in the world and, and keep working towards the goals we're working towards. You know, we've both got awards and more things coming up. So fingers crossed. We can, we can use that to be able to, you know, amplify our impact a little bit more because it
Speaker 0 (47m 51s): Just helps you give that little bit extra platform as
Speaker 2 (47m 53s): Long as it does. It does. I mean, as, as it can sound shallow being up for awards and things, but it's not meant in that way because not at all, it gives you kudos and it allows you to be able to say, look, I'm, I'm good at what I do. And we are, we are good at what we do as an organization. So here let us, let us teach you, let us show you, let us demonstrate to you what we can do to help you and, and make a difference in your life. So
Speaker 3 (48m 17s): It's us, you know, you gotta back yourself in anything you do, you do. And like, you know, with my decision, with my legs, you know, with business, you, you know, to be successful and, and for things to work out, you gotta back yourself. That's just the way it is. So yes,
Speaker 0 (48m 30s): You're never gonna make it. If you don't hundred percent, if you don't believe in who you are, then who the fuck's gonna believe in,
Speaker 3 (48m 35s): Nobody else is gonna,
Speaker 0 (48m 38s): From that point of view, you gotta believe in you first and you teach people that that's the irony behind that statement is the fact that's what you teach people. And that you gotta find your why. And that's like, if they don't then, then yeah. If you didn't, if you didn't actually do that stuff, then you'd be talking shit. And that's not what you do. No, no,
Speaker 2 (48m 56s): Exactly.
Speaker 0 (48m 56s): Well, that's great. Well, I really hope you become an Olympian, cuz I'm gonna be there. I'm gonna watching now. Awesome. What about you sunshine?
Speaker 3 (49m 2s): Oh, it's really, it's about getting what we getting in the chair, getting in the chair. Yeah, that would be cool.
Speaker 0 (49m 9s): Coming in Olympia. Yeah.
Speaker 3 (49m 11s): Yeah. Might, might be still coaching for that one I think. But we'll
Speaker 0 (49m 17s): See. Do you still get attract if you're a coach? Cause that's all you do for another track.
Speaker 3 (49m 20s): Yeah, absolutely. AB absolutely.
Speaker 2 (49m 23s): They might be the,
Speaker 0 (49m 25s): They can save some, they'll
Speaker 3 (49m 26s): Save some money. I
Speaker 0 (49m 27s): They're just too.
Speaker 3 (49m 28s): They'll just, yeah, I know. Yeah. Just all cut 'em off or whatever, but yeah, probably, you know, I just, I'm continuing working on my, my own health and fitness. Yeah. And, you know, post all this stuff, just trying to work on that and get as fit and healthy as I can again. And yeah. Just help this one, you know, achieve all she wants to achieve with her racing and yeah. And I can stand on the sidelines and go, yeah,
Speaker 2 (49m 55s): It was all me. It was all was all me. I'll take the praise for it.
Speaker 3 (49m 59s): But, but the business stuff too, you know, you know, there's that saying? You know, when you love what you do, you never work another day in your life. And, and we do, we, we live and breathe what we do. And I mean, there's just not enough hours in our day, a lot of the time, but oh,
Speaker 0 (50m 13s): Always though, but at the same time that's cause that you're just doing what you love.
Speaker 3 (50m 16s): It's exactly right. You know, you're sort of sitting there chugging away at work stuff and all of a sudden you look up, it's like 1130. It's like, well I've gotta be up in six hours. I better go to bed. So, but yeah, so improving, just getting our programs out there and getting what we do out there and promotion and all that sort of stuff, you know, my program wifi and you know, just continually trying to improve that. And, and the ones we do together as well, just yeah. All that,
Speaker 0 (50m 43s): All that, all that jazz. Well, all that's pretty, pretty awesome. And whatever we can do, obviously we are here to help you guys because we love what you do. We love you as Humans. And it's something that has never been done before, but as far as I'm concerned, you're Awesome Humans. Thanks
Speaker 3 (50m 57s): Mate. Thank you.