In 2000, Tricia went from being a competitive cyclist to a paraplegic requiring a wheelchair for mobility. Her life was changed forever, but Tricia’s competitive spirit and zest for life continued on. Through her experiences in both rehab and racing, Tricia has overcome adversity and learned what it takes to perform at the top of her game.
Having made the transition from able-bodied cyclist to an athlete with a disability, Tricia knows the true meaning of the words challenge and change, and has learned a wealth of lessons to deal with the obstacles we all face in reaching for our personal goals.
Tricia has completed over 100 races, including marathons, duathlons and triathlons, since her accident. She was the first female paraplegic to complete an Ironman triathlon and qualified for the Hawaii Ironman World Championships in 2006 and 2010. In 2011, she competed as part of the U.S. Rowing team at the World Championships in Bled, Slovenia.
Tricia’s professional life has also been immersed in sports as she earned a master’s degree in Sport Management in 1995 and worked at the Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs, Colo. She was the press officer for the USA Table Tennis team at the 1996 Olympic Games in Atlanta and for the USA Swimming team at the 1997 World University Games in Italy. Before becoming a professional speaker, she taught high school in the Denver Public Schools. Today she takes people on their journeys from start to victory, motivating each person to discover his or her own “inner champion”, just as she has. Receiving many sports accolades including being inducted into the Sportswomen of Colorado Hall of Fame, the 2006 Most Inspirational Athlete from the Challenged Athletes Foundation and the 2008 Courage Award from the Tempe Sports Authority, Tricia has truly excelled despite her life-altering injury.
In addition to her current sports pursuits, Tricia has completed master’s degrees in Disability Studies and Sports Management. She is also the Director for Camp Discovery, a camp for women in wheelchairs who want to explore fitness opportunities as well as create a support system of other women who have experienced mobility disorders/disabilities. In 2010 she has published her memoir: Cycle of Hope—A Journey from Paralysis to Possibility.
Listen Now
Show notes
Based in Denver, Colorado
Who is Tricia…. where to start
Identifying as an athlete
Doing sports when she was 4 years olds
Starting bike racing after college
Growing up with 3 brothers
Being captivated with gymnastics
How her athletes life evolved after high school
Growing to 5’10 and deciding to become a diver at college
How she got into cycling and road racing
Getting hit by a car and knowing something was wrong
Breaking her back and injuring her spinal cord
The aftermath of the accident
What she learnt mentally and emotionally going through that experience
Getting back into sports after the accident
Being a goal driven person
Doing her first Ironman in 2005 -Taking over 18 hours to complete
Maintaining balance and not letting her goals take over her life
Happiness?
The Ironman in Kona in Hawaii
Dealing with the grief of losing her legs
Being kind to herself
Having multiple surgeries and ending up in chronic pain
Taking up shooting as a Para-Olympian
How she earns money
Why she started to write
The mental challenge of shooting
Adapting to change - advice and tips
The Cycle of Hope Organisation
Books! - Her first book - Cycle of Hope - A Journey from Paralysis to Possibility.
Plans for the rest of the year
Final words of advice
Social Media
Website - www.triciadowning.com
Twitter - @redefiningable
Facebook - @RedefiningAble
Instagram - @redefiningable
Feeling inspired week after week?
You can do 3 easy things to help me continue to grow the podcast!
Subscribe to the podcast in iTunes, so you won’t miss a single episode
If you’re loving the podcast, please leave a 5-star review on iTunes! I read every single comment!
Share the podcast with your friends, especially if you think it could help them, and spread the #ToughGirlPodcast love.
Your support helps me continue to grow the podcast and do inspiring things in this space! Already done all 3? You’re a rockstar! Thank you!
Want to do more?
Please become a Patron and donate $10 every month to help fund the running costs.
