Aaron Kamnetz - Full Episode

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Soleil: today's guest is Aaron Katz, a world class paratriathlete competing at the highest level of adaptive sport a life altering spinal injury.

Ended his military career, an elite career as a professional triathlete on the able-bodied side. Aaron didn't stop moving forward. He transitioned into [00:02:00] paratriathlon with determination, grit, and a steep learning curve. And today he lives and trains at the Olympic Training Center as part of Team USA. Aaron, how are you doing today? I'm doing wonderful. Thank you so much for asking. I'm just gonna jump right in here with this first question. I'd love to hear about your journey as a para athlete. Where does that story begin for you?

Aaron K: Para athlete specifically, it didn't really

Actually, um, after I got injured in the military, um, that career ended, my career as an able-bodied triathlete ended. I

transitioned away from everything athletic. And went more to, uh,

my mind or sitting behind a desk, shall we say. Uh, working in the [00:03:00] investment field, and it wasn't up until last January, January of 24 that I went on an adaptive ski trip with the rec therapy department out of the.

that trip, we did some, uh, I did some mono skiing, I did some cross country skiing. I did some sled hockey. Uh, sort of got to try a bunch of different winter sports all at once. And one of the fellow veterans as well as the rec therapist, uh, Christine Walls, uh, sort of,

you know, looked at me and

am.

Triathlon. Um, having been a pro triathlete previously, um, I didn't really have a good answer for them. Uh, so I couldn't really argue with them when they encouraged me to give it a try. Um, the VA helped to get me my race chair, uh, which is chair specifically used for [00:04:00] our running, uh, when we do running events and a hand,

which is our version of the bike.

I got both of those. I got the race share about almost a month before my first triathlon, and I got the hand cycle the day before my first triathlon, uh, which I did down in Boise, Idaho, the Treasure Valley try.

we went extremely well. I ended up beating all the able-bodied athletes

on as well as the para-athletes.

Which quickly transitioned into me talking to some people, um, higher up at USAT on the para committee side, uh, who encouraged me to get involved in some other races, uh, specifically the Chicago Triathlon, which led to me partaking in a talent ID camp

in Colorado Springs, uh, at the Olympic Train, Olympic and Paralympic training center.[00:05:00]

Um, from that they, uh, decided to have me enter for a World Cup on the parasite in Alejandra, Portugal, outside of Lisbon. Um, I went and did that, uh, last October where I took third place overall, and I followed that up the very next weekend with a race in

Chi Japan outside of Tokyo. Uh, where I.

Uh. in December, I got invited to this program as a resident athlete with

um, and

racing training here.

Soleil: Incredible. And I know before you were time as a para triathlete, you were an able-bodied triathlete. So I know you've been athletic for a while, but could you bring me back to maybe your childhood a little bit more?

Were you athletic as a child as well?

Aaron K: Yeah, I [00:06:00] had, I've always, my sister's been the one who's been, uh, just naturally gifted.

Athletics. Um, you'd watch her swim in a race in a pool and you'd swear she wasn't even trying yet. She beat everybody. It was just natural. Um, athletics really came to her. I had

work quite a bit harder. To get to the same level.

Um, but growing up my mother was always terrified of swimming and putting her head under the water. So she sent both my sister and I to swim lessons and swim team, um, as soon as she could. And we both grew up swimming. Um, I ended up picking up running, uh, going into high school. Um, I had gotten, uh, quite outta shape in middle school and was getting picked on a little bit for it.

So started running, um, and ended up running with the state cross state championship, cross country [00:07:00] team, um, and high school as well as state track team. Um, and during that time, as many miles as I was putting on running, uh, and still part of the swim team in high school, I.

Just as a way to sort of cross train for my knees and joints.

Um, and so the natural progression there was I was already doing all three sports, um, that are involved in a triathlon and so decided to get a try, um, no pun intended. Um, when I went into college, um, joined the University of Wisconsin Triathlon team, um, and from there ended up going off to collegiate nationals.

Uh, during my freshman year and during the summer of my freshman year, did a race, Memphis in May and a few others, that allowed me to earn

my elite card and start racing at the pro level, including doing ITU racing, uh, [00:08:00] which is the,

former version of World Triathlon Races at the Continental.

Soleil: Wow. What a career, first of all, congratulations. I, I can only, I have a, a YouTube show, it's called the Official narp, where I, I train with elite athletes as the, the quote unquote narp, the non-athletic regular person. And so always hearing about athletes' journeys to where they've gotten today is just so incredible because I look back at my own journey and I think, my God, what was I doing in high school? I definitely wasn't. I wasn't doing that, that's for sure. You know, so it, it really is incredible to hear those stories. Um, and I'd, I'd love to go a little bit deeper into that feeling was like for you, moving from being an able-bodied triathlete to a paratriathlete. What was that experience like for you [00:09:00] emotionally and mentally?

Aaron K: Yeah, I mean there was, there was quite a gap. Um.

10 years, um, between doing athletic stuff from when I got hurt and the military to, um, coming back to athletics on the parasite. You know, I would do some stuff here and there. Um,

when I pick up something, I sort of go all in.

for those 10 years I was all in on doing the work I was doing with, uh, some colleagues

and

But yeah, coming back into it, one of my reluctance is with the sport as the parasite was that I had raced it at such a high level on the able-bodied side. And

uh, you know, one of the goals with that was actually to be a resident out here on the able-bodied side at the Olympic and Paralympic training center.

Um, you know, with the [00:10:00] ultimate goal of making the Olympic Games, um.

so

I wrongfully had originally the

that doing this sport on the para side would be less than or not as challenging, or that we would be just, you know, handheld and coddled the whole way. And so I looked at that and was like, I don't, I don't want anything to do with that.

not.

Needless.

Very, very mistaken about that in impression and that thought process, um, which I sort of got a taste of when I did the, uh, winter Schwartz, um, excursion with the va. Um, and realized how hard it was to do all those things, um, especially compared to watching. Able-bodied instructors sort of just, you know, run, run and ski [00:11:00] circles around us, um, and going like, okay, well this is, this is not gonna be something that's easy or in a coddled manner.

And having now done it, um, paratriathlon as well, like, it's, it, it's a huge challenge and there's a lot of people out there who are really, really, really good. Um, so there's a lot competition and a.

But that was, that was my impression originally coming into it.

Um, now, I mean the, the training that we're doing mimics very much what I was doing on the able-bodied side.

I'm just now using different implements and have, you know, ornamental legs that don't do anything. Um, so it's, you know, now much more focused on the upper body as opposed to the able-bodied side where

running and

all. So, um, yeah.

it, was.

very much a steep learning curve coming into this, [00:12:00] which was not exactly what I was expecting.

Um, and so that was a quick and early wake up call that it was not gonna be easy. Um, but I, I, I like that. I, I like the challenge. I like pushing myself and I like trying to find that, what's that limit? Um,

know, finding it then and trying to go past it and getting better every day.

Soleil: You, you mentioned that even for yourself, you know, as an athlete, that you looked kind of at para triathlons thinking that it was less lesser than. If you could go back and tell that version of Aaron something from what you know today, what would you tell him?

Aaron K: Probably slap him upside the head and throw him into the race chair of the hand cycle and say, go out there and do 20 miles, um, and tell me how easy that is. Um, so.[00:13:00]

I I also admittedly, you know, we don't necessarily get as much exposure as, say, the Olympic Games.

you know, everybody watches and tunes in for the Olympic games. NBC takes over, you know, every single one of their affiliates for three weeks.

the Olympic Games and the Paralympic Games follow that up about a week or two later.

Um, but it's definitely not taking over all of NBC's affiliates so you also don't see it.

Um, and so it wasn't front and center for me either to even have any idea what was involved or what they were doing or how fast they were going.

So that, you know, I think it would've also been me slapping me upside the head and saying, Hey, go do your research before you draw

on Doesn't mean you crap about the paras until you go and try.

Soleil: And how difficult was that transition for you, like getting used to the new chair [00:14:00] and the new tools that you were using in order to be a tri para triathlete?

Aaron K: Yeah, the, the tools, um, particularly the race chair, um, is a very technical, um, apparatus to use. Um,

you got wheels spinning

you're going 15 miles an hour and you're trying to hit.

On there and flick your arm all the way back around and keep it going. Um, you know, you gotta have good aim. You're gonna end up in the wheel spokes.

Um, and you gotta have a lot of strength and you gotta stay in the right position the whole time. It's a lot to it. And you know, people spend lifetimes trying to perfect using that chair to get it just right. Um, so there's a lot of that where the

very unique and.

Um, you know, the hand

hand was basically sitting down and, um, using like an nerd machine type thing in front of you, just[00:15:00]

going back and

and.

Um, so it's a lot of strength that you gotta build up, and not just raw power, but also longevity in it. Um, and endurance the concepts behind triathlon and the way to train and the way that training schedules would be set up. Um, the way a race goes, um, how it feels, you know, doing

something

experienced on.

Very similar, if not the same. Um, you know, a transition is still set up as a transition. You gotta now just, okay, how do I arrange two pieces of equipment instead of just one being my bike? Now I gotta set up the race chair in there. So there's some of those technical parts, but the big picture was the same, which is where I had a very, uh, a very big leg up coming into the sport.

Is that I already understood a lot of it [00:16:00] and understood

the concepts around,

uh, which made it a

much smoother transition than I've seen

have.

Soleil: When the hand cycle arrived, the day before your first race, what was going on through your mind during that time?

Aaron K: I was hoping nothing would fall apart on it. Um.

Uh, you know, just like, all right, well let's hope this works tomorrow morning. Um, when I go and use it for the race, uh, we actually had it delivered to the VA down in Boise. 'cause I live about, well, where my house is. I live about three and a half hours away from Boise. So I was already down there, uh, for the night before the race and yeah, just put together and it was one of those, one where.

Well, let's go and do this and see what happens. You know, really? What, what's the worst thing that happens? The worst thing that happens is you don't finish. Um, and [00:17:00] so, and because you get a mechanical thing that just takes it out and that's it. You know, you don't, you no longer have a bike. Um. So with that sort of in mind, it was like, all right, let's go and do this.

I mean, granted, I also had a plan in 10 years, um, when I got in the water,

that made some people pretty nervous, um, you know, being the para athlete and going out there, but I ended up winning the swim. Um, so that shocked even myself, um, given tenure years of not swimming. Uh, so there was a lot of stuff that was all at play, so it wasn't just the

worried about, you know, it was the swim. Like, all right, how's this gonna go? Not that I wouldn't finish or anything, but like, how slow is it gonna be? Um, and then, you know, the bike was like, all right, let's.

Together. I'm not, you know, I have no experience turning in it.

Um, so there were a lot of turns where I went very wide and there were other turns where I [00:18:00] definitely went over the curb, um, and back onto the road.

Um, and then the, the run chair, you know, I had that less than a month. Um, and so the racer, it was just, you know, going and trying to make some turns, like did not know what I was doing, and went over sort of into the ditch and had to sort of push myself back up using the ground and leaning over. Um, and, you know, so there, there was a lot of stuff to learn.

Um, and it was definitely trial by fire,

that's the way I like it. Um, and it sort of lit an extra fire under me to be like, all

go and fix these things.

do I gotta talk to, to learn to do this better? Do this better? Um, where's the resource to get this? And, um, thankfully the, the, the Paratriathlon community is very welcoming.

Uh, there was a guy from our

paratriathlon committee, Travis Ricks down there, um, I believe he had just left the para c

left the committee. Um, but he saw me [00:19:00] raise, he right away, put me in touch with people. He was giving me advice on things. Um, you know, you go international race and everybody's helping each other.

it's not,

the able-bodied side where on the able-bodied side, you know, you, you couldn't anybody anything, um, 'cause you didn't wanna give them any extra advantage, uh, that you might have. Um, but on the parasite it's been very unique. Everybody's willing to answer questions with each other, give advice. You know, I've had people at the race, you know, tell me like, oh, you should sit this way

right before the race.

Soleil: What's the biggest mental or emotional learning curve that you faced as a paratriathlete? I[00:20:00]

Aaron K: To me, it's always just going out. You know, the mental game is just

that's what it is. It's, it's a mental game. Um, and really, you know, show up prepared. Um, and, and that's the best you can do is always show up prepared, um, or at least feel prepared. Um, otherwise you've done something wrong in training, um, which, you know, sort of circles back there to, um, like I say, taking each day one day at a time, um, and not getting ahead of it.

And that way, you know, you keep doing those workouts and you know you're doing 'em right and you're doing 'em to the best of your ability.

Or undue pressure on yourself, like, I gotta make up for this bad, you know, this week where I wasn't focused, you know,

stay focused from each day, one day to the[00:21:00]

said, done.

Soleil: yeah, absolutely. Easier said than done.

I was actually just thinking about this during my last week or so. I just had kind of like a, like a weird mentally fuzzy week, you know? And it was hard for me to get stuff done. And it's gotten to Sunday and I am like, oh my gosh. I have not gotten all the things that I, that I wish I would've gotten done. But if I can give myself a little bit of grace and say, you know, I was able to get even just a little bit done every day. Have you found that even working a little bit on your hard days is better than not working at all?

Aaron K: I mean, I, I don't like that not working at all. Right? Like if you have workouts, you go and do 'em. Yeah, it may, it may suck.

Have bad, we all have bad days. We all have, you know, crap workouts where things just don't go anywhere near where they're supposed to or how they're supposed to. Right. And it's just miserable.

Um, [00:22:00] but you, you gotta just keep going and, you know, ultimately, you know, it's what, it's an hour workout or it's a. Hour and a half workout, like just go get it done. Um, know that the end of the day is gonna be there. Um, you're gonna go get some sleep and you're gonna wake up and it's gonna be a new day and things are gonna feel a lot better.

Um, you know, and don't get hung up on it. Don't the next day, don't focus on how bad the last day went. Um, you know, now just go, okay, cool. I, I got through that now, you know, nice and rested. Let's go and hit this next day's workout. Um, and you know, like other things like, yeah, I get behind on emails, um, and phone calls and text messages.

Uh, you know, that's sort of my Sunday, I call Sunday and my admin day usually to try and catch up on all that while I sit at breakfast, um, all the way through lunch and hopefully get before.[00:23:00]

Really my focus is on getting those workouts done.

and, you know, taking care of anything that's more time sensitive outside of workouts, uh, either business related or personal.

Soleil: And you left a career in investment banking, is that what you said?

Correct.

Aaron K: Um,

banking specifically, I did stuff with private equity and venture capital. Um. So, and that we sort of ran the spectrum. Um, I did some stuff originally heavily in the real estate

uh, before transitioning into startups and smaller businesses. Um, and so there, there's some stuff that I still do with that, um, but it's a lot more

than it was before.

Soleil: I mean, that's like a big jump, at least in my head, to say, you know, I, you know, I have a career in investment venture, [00:24:00] private equity, venture capital, and to make that jump to move to the Olympic Training Center and take this on full time, what was that jump like for you and what made you feel like being a paratriathlete was what was meant for you in this time?

Aaron K: Yeah,

always the one that likes.

That old man soul too. And not necessarily like change, but, um, you know,

if I see it as an adventure, I'm all for it. I mean, I moved out to Idaho, um, Whitebird Idaho specifically. It's hard to find on a map. Um, but I moved out there, you know, sight unseen. I, I had never seen the area. I couldn't find it on a map.

And, you know, I moved out there in 23, um, in the spring of [00:25:00] 23. And that was, that was sort of just, I wanted to change a pace from living back in Wisconsin. Um, and so made that move and that was, you know, that was a new adventure. And then, you know.

get the equipment for doing

paratriathlon,

Like, well, this is another adventure. Um, and then coming down here was again, like, well, here's another adventure. Like, what, what, what do I got to lose?

Like, um, go and go and try it. Go and enjoy it. Um, you know, in the end it, if it crashes and burns, you go back home.

Um, so like, just go and take those adventures when they present themselves. Um, and don't be shy about it. Um, you know, my house is sitting up there empty. Um, you know, I sort of got to live there for a year and a half before all of a sudden I was down here now. Um, and you know, also with [00:26:00] the I, that had always been the goal, um, on the able side able-bodied side. Right. That, that was that pie in the sky. Like

make the resident team for triathlon.

You've,

you know,

and so it was one of those ones where it was like, all right, here's some unfinished business that I get to check off the list. Um, and, you know, I don't like leaving anything

And so this was a way to get that taken care of and finished. I like to see everything through, so it's, it, it's been, you know, adventure after adventure. I mean, looking back ever since, ever since moving outta my parents' house, I've never lived in

the same spot for more than, I think it was two years. Um, otherwise I've moved, um, or been moving, um, somewhere else. So it, it's, it's, it's hard to keep track of all the [00:27:00] addresses I've had, that's for sure.

Soleil: Yeah, I'm the exact same way. I'm definitely a, a mover. I don't like staying in one places for a long time, and I find for me personally, there's. So much value to it.

And I really enjoy traveling abroad as well. And so getting to meet new people and experience new cultures and figure out more of who I am, you know what I like, like I literally have my, my mate sitting right here that I now drink every day that I got picked up, like as a habit from Argentina. 'cause I was there. You know, like it, it's like all these little things that culminate into who we are. And I really loved how you were talking about, you know, like. the worst that can happen, right? Like at the end of the day, what's, if I do this thing, if I go on this adventure, what's the worst thing that can happen?

And your adventure so far, what do you normally find yourself gravitating towards in terms of, [00:28:00] um, like types of adventure? You know, are you looking for people, are you looking for experiences? Are you looking for understanding who you are? Like what are you looking for in those, in those adventures that you're having?

I.

Aaron K: Yeah, it sort of runs the.

Know, I like to see new places. Um, I'm a history nerd, uh, through and through.

So,

um, or as some of my friends would say, just a nerd in general. Um, and so I, I do like seeing new, seeing places and then, you know,

into the history of 'em and reading what I can about them, especially while I'm there to.

In

the history book, in the, you know, old articles from, you know, 50 years ago and seemed like, okay, here's where this was, here's where that was and what's left or not.

and then you're, you're always getting to meet new people. Um, you know, I, I [00:29:00] don't drink anymore, but like, I still go, one of the,

in a town is I.

Um, you're gonna meet the, you're gonna meet the locals, um, and

some wild stories, um, about the place. And so like, that's sort of one of my things is to just go in

belly up.

And start

yourself and talking to people.

you get to hear a lot about the area. You get to hear a lot about the people in general,

and get a compression warm.

And

you know, everywhere. Everywhere I've been, it's always turned out wonderfully, you know, with just great people. Um, you know, as long.

Not an asshole. Um, usually people are nice and not an asshole back. Um, so it, it's, you know, be it, be overseas, be it here in the States. Um, that's sort of my go-to and

you, you meet people, you get to talk to 'em, you get to learn about the area and the culture.[00:30:00]

Soleil: And did you find that in Idaho?

Aaron K: Yes. Um, Idaho.

Um, Idaho is the best state. Um.

Soleil: statement. Okay. I'm listening. Um,

Aaron K: the, the people are awesome. Um, everybody, it doesn't matter where I am in that state. Everybody is super nice. Um, super helpful, very welcoming. Um, it, it's wonderful. Everybody's laid back about stuff, even when they cut things to do. Everybody seems to still be nice and chill.

Um.

People look at you a little weird if you pass 'em because you're going 10 miles over down most of the highways. Like, Hey, what whatcha in a hurry for? You know, like, just slow down, like enjoy the day. Um, you know, the state's beautiful. Um, everything [00:31:00] from the mountains to.

To some massive, massive lakes. Um, you know, we got a ton of wilderness there.

It, it's just everything about it. Um, you know, cost of living's good. It, it's, it's just, it's perfect.

so yeah, I, there's a reason I'm not, you know, I still have my home up in Whitebird, um, and Whitebird in particular.

of the nicest and most welcoming people, um, I could ever

for. Um, especially for a small town that's, uh, I think our whitebird, our official population is 94.

Um,

Soleil: 94. Wow. I don't think I've ever even been

Aaron K: In Whitebird proper. Yeah. In.

Soleil: proper. Wow. Yeah. That's impressive. I don't think I could, I don't think I could do that. I don't think I could move to a, to a town that small. I mean, was it, I have so many questions that I wanna ask you about this, and I know I'm straying a [00:32:00] little farther off from the podcast than I that I thought I would, but I mean, was it difficult trying to, to integrate yourself into such a tiny community like that?

Aaron K: They sort of integrated me right off the bat. I mean, my first day, you know, before I even moved out there, I had like three different phone numbers from neighbors that my realtor was like, oh yeah, he's gonna help you with this. He is gonna be here to help with this. And you know, just call him. He is good people to get to know,

and I'm sort of like, well this is weird coming from a realtor to, you know, hand me neighbors phone numbers.

But, uh, sure enough, like my first day out there, I had a neighbor show up and started helping the movers unpack my stuff, um, and unpack my goods to help me move into the house. So it would be less stressful and. Less work. And you know, a couple days later I needed to remove some stuff [00:33:00] from the garage to better fit my vehicle with all of its adaptive stuff.

And they came over and they basically knocked out a wall for me. Um, you know, just, and, and these were people that I had just met. Um, and you know, next thing you know, they're like, Hey, come to this. Dinner that we're gonna have come over here and hang out with us for this. Let's go rafting. Um, let's go on the jet boat

'cause we're in between the snake and Salmon Rivers.

Um, and you know, like, hey, come on down here into Whitebird itself. I live sort of up on a hill.

number of us do, um, just outside a whitebird. So I look down, well up the Salmon River. Um, and then white birds just on the other side of the river. Um, it's also kind of unique because that river is actually the time zone line between

Mountain and Pacific.

So technically where my house is, I'm in mountain time, but on the other side of the river [00:34:00] where everything is like, you know,

the downtown, which has the post office and the two restaurants, and the church is in Pacific.

To drive up into actual town

grocery store and stuff That's also in Pacific. But there's another town that has grocery stores and all that, uh, same distance, but going south and that's in mountain time.

So it can get very confusing very quickly when you leave the house and you're like, oh, I got time to make it down to the store down south and Riggins. And then you get there and realize that, no, it's not one o'clock, it's two o'clock, and they've been closed for an hour.

So, but yeah, there's, there's a lot of unique stuff with it.

Um,

a lot of ranching out there too. Um, so, and being a smaller community, everybody leans on each other,

help each other and welcome each other in any way they can.

Soleil: That's sweet. Okay. I promise I'm, I'm gonna start segwaying

Aaron K: No, you're good. You're good.[00:35:00]

Soleil: but it sounds like people in your life are so important to you.

You know, just, I would say that's probably a good argument that you could make for most people. Um, but I, I wanna highlight it in your story, especially because you had moved to Idaho after your injury. Is that correct? Correct.

Aaron K: I got injured back, well, I left the military back in 2013.

Soleil: Okay. And when did you move to Idaho? 23. Okay. And so 10 years later. 10 years later. And did you ever find that you were having a difficult perception of like who you were versus who you were after your injury that clashed with how you were making friends and getting to know people and the important people within your life?

Aaron K: uh,

admittedly I was not a fun person to be around. I was not happy with life or the hand that [00:36:00] got held to me. Uh, for a while there, it was

you know, by sitting in a restaurant with people and realizing nobody wanted to sit next to me or talk to me, and I was like, wow, I must be the problem. Um,

so it was like, Hey, stop feeling sorry for yourself.

Um, you know, sure I can't walk, but, you know, I got friends that are missing a leg or missing an arm or that got blinded, um, in the service and stuff, and like, it, it could always be worse. You know, granted, they look at me and they.

I'm okay in a wheelchair, but I can't understand how they're okay without, you know, an arm.

so it's all, you know, it's all perspective and um, and that's where like you, you, you take everybody as they come and you just, you know, get to know 'em. Um, there's more to everyone than what meets the eye. Um, and so, yeah, it was just, you know, it was taking [00:37:00] that, that view and just.

Talk to new people. Um, learn.

Soleil: Yeah. Is there something about that, this whole journey for you that has taught you something new about yourself that you didn't expect to learn?

Aaron K: Um, not to be honest, not that I, I'm sure there has been, um, and I'm sure there's been a lot, but I don't know. I sort of just roll with it all and as it comes and you know who I'm

the end product of all of it. Um, and, you know, I'm not, I'm not going out seeking to change or find something new about myself.

Um, you know, when it happens, I don't know that I even necessarily realize it. Um, you know, I think people [00:38:00] that I haven't seen in a while, uh, they can point out things that are different and have changed, but, um, you know, I'm looking at it again as.

I do like learning new things. Um, you know, and those, you know, as we learn new things, it impacts our viewpoints and our outlooks on everything, um, and can help change and mold them.

so I know that I've changed over time.

I think we all do. Um, you know, and so yeah, I, I don't know that there's been any like particular

myself. Gave me a new perspective on this. Um, there been a lot of new things to learn, you know, showing up in a community where people can still tell you when there wasn't electricity, um, in the Valley. You know, like that, that's unique and pretty interesting to learn. But, you know, um, [00:39:00] those are the things I remember more, those unique stories and unique people that I've met along the way, um, than necessarily anything particularly changing about me.

Soleil: That's just a beautiful culmination of lots of our conversation right now. You know, that it, it really is just how you, how you keep moving, you know, how you keep going because at the end of the day, it's, it's not just about you, it's about the other people around you. And I know you've also talked a little bit about, you know, this new community that you're building in Colorado Springs at the Olympic and Paralympic Training Center.

And you said that it, that. That that para triathletes are, I don't wanna use the word kinder, but more willing to help than, than able-bodied athletes. Why do you think that is?

Aaron K: Yeah. It doesn't just seem, from everything I've gleaned talking to athletes in other para sports, right. Most of the para sports seem[00:40:00]

that way,

I think on the able-bodied side, right? That there's, there's a lot more people doing them, let's be honest, right? Like the,

there's a

larger percent of the population doing sports, like track and field cycling, um,

So many people, um, at swim meets and everything, and then you get to the para

and

there's not as many people doing it. Um, there's a lot of people that you know, are in the situation that I am in a wheelchair or, you know, like my teammates with amputations or blind and stuff,

you know.

Probably benefit from having an exposure to these sports.

Additionally, like right, the more people we have involved in our sport and wanting to compete and succeed in the sport means there's more visibility, there's more recognition of the sport, [00:41:00] and it also means it's somebody else to compete with to help push yourself. Um, so I don't wanna, you know, I wanna help anybody who wants to learn something at a race or needs assistance as much as they've helped other people who have been around it for a long time, have helped me, um,

go, you know, like, how,

can I teach you that you don't get frustrated and you don't run away and you don't stop?

Doing the sport, like, 'cause that, that just negatively affects all of us as a whole. Um, because more people that walk away from it, there's less interest in it. And it's, you know, just like if everybody stopped, stopped playing tennis right? And nobody knew is playing tennis, like eventually sports gonna die off.

Um, and you know, I, I think we'd be worse off for that. Um, you know.

Keeps people together. It's a great spectator sport. Our sport's great for spectating. Um, and so you get more people out there and the more recognition. So we [00:42:00] wanna just help each other, um, you know, and.

Soleil: Is there anything that you wish more people understood about adaptive sports? From the outside looking in, I.

Aaron K: yeah, we're, we're doing the same thing that you're doing on the able-bodied side. We just have slightly weirder implements, but they usually, as a result, require a little bit more technical understanding, um, and a much steeper learning curve to pick up.

That means, you know, we're, we're putting in just as much work, uh, as the able-bodied side is.

There's, there's none of that, you know, oh, able-bodied works harder or has to work harder. I mean, people that are at the top of our sport, like, I gotta work really hard. Um, if I wanna catch them and that's what I wanna do and I wanna beat it, [00:43:00] it's a Same as.

As an able-bodied athlete, like athlete, it's a long, steep curve

you're gonna have to really work at it to catch the top guys in the world, um, or gals. And so it, it's, yeah, it, there's, there's a lot to it. It's, no, it's no cake walk. Um, you know, we're,

it costs more usually for us, um, to do everything,

deal with.

So I, I just, you know, having had that perspective, um,

I especially wanna, you know, make that clear to other para-athletes out there. Like,

know, it, it's hard, but like, there's so much help and so much willingness to help get you involved in it and get you set up on the right track and make you successful.

Um, but you know.

Soleil: Yeah. And you're on, on the journey [00:44:00] to, what is it, 2028 right now? Correct. Yeah. Yes. And how is that journey going for you so far? Do you feel like you need another three year? Oh, well, actually what year is it? It's 2025. You feel like you need another three years.

You feel like you're ready, you could go on it tomorrow. How are you feeling?

Aaron K: Paralympic qualification period basically starts about a year out from

Paralympic. So roughly like July, June, July of 27, right? So yeah, the games are in 28.

everything start really starts really, really mattering for that in terms of points. And then our actual like trials events, um, are 27 in the very beginning of 28.

so, you know, people will say like, oh, it's another four years, or it's another three years. And it's

really,

it's, it's about.

Really starts mattering. Um, and yeah, I mean, I, [00:45:00] I admittedly, I'm still very new, right? I've had my, I, I've had my bike, my hand cycle for 12 and a half months only. Um, and so I've only been doing that for 12 and a half months and 13 and a half with the race chair, right? So I got a lot to still learn. Um,

doing pretty well, uh, this early on.

so yeah, I

28. Um,

should be.

Soleil: Yeah. Good. Yes, they should. Uh, well, I'm super excited for you. Um, Erin, I'm gonna start wrapping up this podcast, but my favorite question to always ask people at the end of this podcast, is if you could back to when you were a kid and tell your childhood self one piece of advice, what would it be?

Aaron K: Don't grow up so fast. Um,

fun.[00:46:00]

I tried to grow up pretty quick, um, and hang out with the adult table and everything as soon as I could, um, instead of just enjoying being a kid. Um, so yeah. Um, you know, that's what I'd probably go back and

the younger little self of me. Um.

Go

and do adult things and all that and

enjoy the lack of responsibility while you can.

Soleil: seriously, I have, uh, younger people in my family and I'm always like, you don't want, just stop it. Just stay kid for a little bit

Aaron K: I mean, I, right. We were both told that. I know I was.

Soleil: Yeah, exactly. Everybody's told that,

Aaron K: I, I sure didn't believe it. Um, and I, I didn't wanna listen to it, but, um, yeah, maybe, maybe if I came back and told me, though, I, I know I can be pretty stubborn, so I don't know if.

Soleil: at all. [00:47:00] Well, I'm sure it will. And obviously this is like the most beautiful part, right?

Your stubbornness is what has got you here to be an elite athlete. So it's, it's a good thing. Well, thank you so much, Erin. It has been such a pleasure talking to you and hearing your story and sharing all about who you are. So thank you for joining me today. Thank you for having me. I really appreciate it.

Speaker 4: Thank you again for listening to this episode of Sweat Strategy and Success. If you enjoyed this episode, please make sure to follow on your favorite podcast listening platform, give it a rating and share with your friends and family. Make sure to make it back here next Wednesday. See you soon.