‍What is para-athletics?

Also known as adaptive sports or para sports, para-athletics refers to athletic activities specifically designed for individuals who have physical and visual impairments and/or disabilities.  There are a wide range of sports that fall under the umbrella of para-athletics, including (but not limited to) wheelchair racing, paratriathlon, handcycling, para-swimming, and more.  Para-athletes are classified based on their impairment and compete against other athletes with similar levels of impairments.

In recent years, para-athletics has been gaining more widespread popularity and attention. The first official para-athletics event took place in 1952 and then the first Paralympic Games was held in 1960 with 10 countries participating in 25 different medal events. In the Paris 2024 Summer Paralympic Games, 4,000 athletes from 168 countries and delegations from around the world competed in 549 different medal events.

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What is a para-athlete?

A para-athlete is an athlete with a bodily difference, impairment, or disability that makes them eligible to compete in para-athletics.  Para-athletes are grouped or classified by gender and then by the degree of activity limitation resulting from their impairment.  Classification is the cornerstone of para-athletics and the Paralympic Movement, as it determines which athletes are eligible to compete in a sport and how athletes are grouped together for competition.

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How can Full Circle Endurance help you achieve your para-athletic goals?

Para-athletics emphasizes inclusivity, competition, community, and personal growth.  At Full Circle Endurance, we do not treat para-athletes any differently than able-bodied athletes, but we know and understand the differences that para-athletes face when participating in or competing in endurance sports.  We will not limit or label you by your physical ability; we will work with you and your determination to reach any and all goals you set for yourself.

All of Full Circle Endurance’s Coaching Services are appropriate for para-athletes and can be tailored for any endurance sport or goal that you have.  We coach para-athletes who train and race in many endurance sports, including paratriathlon, para-running, and para-cycling.  If you have any questions or would like to learn more about how we can help you reach your goals, please Contact Us.

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What can you expect from para-athletic coaching?

When you hire a coach to help you achieve your para-athletic goals, you are creating a partnership with someone who is as deeply invested in your training and goals as you are.  No matter which coaching service you choose - such as Athletic Performance Coaching, a Custom-Built Training Plan, or Endurance Sports Consultations - you can expect personalized, caring, and detailed training, education, and information.

Training - both the overall training plan itself and individual workouts within the training plan - are designed and planned around you, your life, your schedule, your goals, and your current abilities.  You can select from several coaching service options that give you as much or as little communication and feedback with your coach as you want and/or need.

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Who will your para-athletics coach be?

Coach Laura Henry has been a USA Triathlon Level II Paratriathlon Certified Coach since 2018.  She has designed individualized training for para-athletes with a wide variety of impairments that has helped them successfully train for endurance sports and reach their goals, up to and including standing on the top of National Championship podiums.  In addition, she has coached at Talent Identification Camps for USA Triathlon at the United States Olympic & Paralympic Training Center in Colorado Springs, Colorado and has worked with Team Semper Fi and Dare2Tri to provide training camps for para-athletes of all ability levels, from beginner to elite. 

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Have para-athletes training with Full Circle Endurance successfully achieved their goals?

We have worked with many different para-athletes who have a variety of different impairments, including visual impairments, traumatic brain injuries, spinal cord injuries, congenital impairments, amputations, and more.  We have coached paratriathletes, para-cyclists, and para-runners with a variety of goals to success.  

We have coached para-athletes who are at the beginning of their para-athletics journey, and we have also coached elite para-athletes who have won National Championships and who have raced internationally.  Some para-athletes have a goal to finish a particular event or race, while others want to compete at the highest level of their sport.  Whether you are a beginner, recently recovering from an injury that has left you with an impairment, or have been an athlete for many years, we can and want to help you reach your endurance sports goals!

Here are some of the achievements para-athletes training with Full Circle Endurance have accomplished:

• 2022 U.S. National Champion, Paratriathlon PTVI - Deborah Chucoski
• 2018 U.S. National Champion, USA Para-Cycling Road National Championships Time Trial C2 - Rebecca Piper
• 2018 U.S. National Champion, USA Para-Cycling Road National Championships Road Racel C2 - Rebecca Piper