October 1, 2025 • 31 mins
Lizzie Eastham and Sam Rickard present Studio 1 - Vision Australia Radio’s weekly look at life from a low vision and blind point of view.
On this week’s show
“Getting Fit”
Lizzie and Sam put the sports shoes back on and limber up to talk about getting fit, especially if you are new to the world of health and fitness.
Lizzie catches up with Justine Crawford, founder of the Adelaide chapter of Achilles Australia.
We also hear from Simon; Alex; Maddie and Anthony as they talk about their own approaches to sport and fitness.
Studio 1 welcomes any input from our listeners. If you have any experience or thoughts about issues covered in this episode or believe there is something we should be talking about.
You may also be interested in joining our choir of angels and telling your story.
EMAIL: studio1@visionaustralia.org or leave comment on the station’s Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/VARadioNetwork
A special thank you to Justine; Alex; Maddie; Anthony and Simon.
You can find a link to all Achilles chapters (including social media) here: https://www.achillesaustralia.org.au/
This program was made possible with support from the Community Broadcasting Foundation. Find out more at https://cbf.org.au/
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
S1 (00:14):
This is Studio One with Sam Rickard and Lizzie Eastham
on Vision Australia radio.
S2 (00:24):
Hello, I'm Sam and I'm Lizzie and this is Studio One,
your weekly look at life from a low vision and
blind point of view here on Vision Australia Radio.
S3 (00:32):
This week the sports shoes are back on as we
look at how to get fit, especially when you are
new to the world of health and fitness.
S2 (00:41):
As we always say at this point, please do get
in touch with the show. Whether you have experience with
any of the issues covered on this episode of Studio One,
or if you think there's something we should be talking about.
You never know. Your story and insight may help somebody
else who is dealing with something similar.
S3 (00:55):
You can email us at Studio One at Vision Australia.
That's studio number one Australia. Or of course, you can
drop us a note on our Facebook page by going
to facebook.com. Radio network. Well, Sam, I have to say
that this week is a topic that I'm really, really
(01:16):
passionate about. But before we get into that, though, I
want to ask, since hanging up the running shoes and
retiring from your professional sports career, what exercise do you
engage in to keep fit?
S2 (01:27):
Most of it's actually just walking because I've got no choice.
I don't drive a car, so I walk from point
A to point B, and compared to a lot of
other things, it doesn't injure me as much. I've tried
going out for runs and, uh, yeah, a little bit
of cycling here and there and I find I get injured. Um,
and I don't have the support of, you know, just
being able to walk to sports medicine and, and see
(01:49):
a physio anymore or get a free massage every week.
So yes, that's kind of been a thing. In fact,
only only, um, last week I had a injection in
my hip for a Bursa. So I'm hoping to actually
get out and do a bit more exercise, especially as
we've got spring coming along and it looks like it's
going to be some lovely weather coming up.
S3 (02:08):
Ah, yes. I'm very excited for spring, you know. it's
interesting that you should say about walking and just incidental,
because when I was overweight, that was the biggest and
most helpful way that I found to get my exercise.
In fact, when I first started, that was the only
form of exercise I actually did for a solid six
months was just getting out early and walking with Lacy.
(02:31):
And you know, it helped me to build up enough
fitness to start going back to gym and doing the
other activities that I like to do now. So walking
is so crucial. In fact, there are so many studies
being published year after year and so many people coming
out of the woodwork saying that walking is the best
exercise because yeah, it's not as likely that you'll get
(02:52):
injured as, say, running. And it also boosts your mental health.
And we could talk all day about the benefits of walking.
But yeah, the reason I'm so passionate about this subject, Sam,
is because I really do believe that there aren't too
many people out there promoting the benefits of health and fitness. And, um,
as people with disabilities, we already have that barrier of
(03:14):
being able to get out and exercise alone.
S2 (03:17):
Well, yes, definitely. And at least if you are walking somewhere,
you can just do that in your local neighborhood. If
you if it gets you the chance to to know
what's going on. Um, I used to find, of course,
when I had a pet dog, that there was another
excuse to get out there because he needed to be exercised.
So yes, it's it's one thing that to get out
there and know, I mean, the able bodied world doesn't
necessarily think of the need for people to get fit.
(03:40):
I mean, one tip I can probably give people out
there is when you're choosing to go somewhere, if you've
got a choice between a bus ride or whatever, and
there's a bit of a walk involved, choose the journey
that gives you a bit of a walk. It might
take you a little bit longer, but I mean, I
find getting to and from work I've got a choice
(04:02):
of a bus, bus or a train. The bus takes
about 45 minutes to get here and 45 minutes to
get back home again. But it picks me up and
drops me off pretty much outside the studio. And, um,
the other side is almost outside my door, so there's
no walking involved. Um, so I regard the walk to
the station and then the walk from um, Island station
(04:25):
to here to be the bonus of, of that particular journey.
That's the main reason why I take the train journey.
S3 (04:33):
Yeah. And, you know, like when people are coming from
a state of obesity or chronic health conditions, often the
first thing that doctors or medical professionals will prescribe in
terms of exercise is walking. Because it's so low impact,
it has so many benefits. It increases endorphins, it improves
mental health. You know, I've often spoken about my struggles
(04:56):
with mental health. I've been pretty open with my struggles
with bipolar. And I will say that just being able
to go out for a walk when things are getting
heavy has been an absolute lifesaver and a sanity preserver
for me. But I think enough of us talking. We
will get to the first interview, which is with Justine Crawford,
(05:19):
who started the Adelaide chapter of Achilles Running Club. Welcome, Justine,
onto studio one.
S4 (05:28):
Thank you. Nice to be here.
S5 (05:29):
So to get started, explain to us what is Achilles ankle?
S4 (05:33):
Achilles Adelaide is the name of the run club. And
it's a not for profit running and walking club where
people who are blind or have low vision are paired
with volunteer guides. It's not just about running. We do walking,
jogging and a lot of chatting along the way. So
people that you know love a slow walk or a
jog walk or a longer run are all welcome.
S5 (05:51):
Cool. So you guys, you cater to people of all
levels then?
S4 (05:54):
Absolutely, yes. Now we've got people that walk and will
only walk. Um, we've got some that are walked that
are sort of say to me, hey Justine, can I
try running this week? And then we've got people that
like to run. And I think you guys have listened
to a podcast recently. You had Simon Wong on and
he was a walker. He was a runner years ago,
then was a bike rider, and then he was walking
and he's now running, so it's fantastic to see.
S5 (06:15):
That sounds amazing. It sounds like an amazing group of people.
What got you involved? Yeah.
S4 (06:21):
Well, for me, running has always been vital for my
mental wellbeing. I think it just clears my head, lifts
my mood. And you get to be surrounded in friendships, um,
and helps build resilience. And just along the way, I
just decided that everyone deserves to experience that. Um, and
then after seeing Achilles Melbourne training around the tan a
few years ago, I really simply thought that Adelaide needs this.
(06:41):
And when I found out there wasn't an Achilles Adelaide existing,
I just decided I could make that happen. I got
the idea end of last year and we had our
first session with athletes coming out. So we trained a
few athletes, so trained a few guards at the end
of last year, 2024, and then we really officially started
on the 7th of February this year with athletes coming
(07:02):
out and pairing them with guides. And, you know, we
started just with Cassie Holmes, one person, and then it
just slowly grown from there.
S5 (07:08):
Amazing. Yeah, I think I remember coming to one of
your first gatherings at Victoria Park, where we did an
episode on.
S4 (07:15):
You did we were training all the guides at that
stage and just trying to get, and obviously I needed
to make sure I had enough guides to cater for
the athletes, um, in the first place. So we did
three different training sessions at the end of last year
to try and get some interest, of which you were
at one of those. And, you know, we've just grown
from there.
S5 (07:32):
Fantastic. So nowadays, how guides recruited.
S4 (07:35):
Um, it started with, um, actually mostly friends who backed
me a little bit and came out and now they're
really coming from all walks of life. We someone might
see us running along Glenelg and they'll reach out to me.
They'll just Google the top. We wear bright yellow tops,
so they're pretty obvious. Um, I've had a few follow up,
like I've got three new guys that want to come
out this weekend after seeing us at the city today.
(07:56):
And I think anyone that, um, you know, at the
end of the day, there's no standards required to be
a guide. And so as long as they're encouraging and
patient and want to make a difference, they can come
out and we welcome them. And I think that's a
really nice thing because it's such a simple way to
make a difference.
S5 (08:12):
Absolutely. You were talking before about how you cater to
all levels. So can you talk to us about what
are some of the goals that you helped athletes to achieve?
S4 (08:23):
Yeah, absolutely. So one of the big goals I'll talk
about the running ones. But again, the goals can be
as simple as getting out every week for a walk.
We've got one lady who her support worker doesn't walk
and she loves it. So she gets to come out.
And for me that's actually kicking a goal. Also we've
got you know gentleman Johnny and he did the 10-K
at Adelaide Marathon. Just finished the half marathon at the
(08:45):
Bay last weekend and has achieved that goal. And that'll
be Achilles, Adelaide's first ever world major marathon. We've had Warren,
I think a lot of people know Warren, with Achilles help,
was able to go up to do the Oceania Masters
games and it was the first year they had a
para category, and he was able to get two gold
medals from that, and we sent up a guide to
(09:05):
be with him. And on top of that, he's done
a city to Bay and the Gold Coast Marathon. And
then Cathy, another lady, she just did the half marathon
at the Sydney O2 and got a two minute PB,
and she's had her eye on the Souda Bay for
about four years. She said to do the half marathon
and has never been able to do it because unable
to have regular training and also have a guide to
come with her. So she was just absolutely ecstatic, even
(09:26):
though it poured all day.
S3 (09:28):
That sounds amazing, and I do agree with you that
the smaller goals are just as important, because there are
a lot of people in the disabled community, or even
the blind and low vision community who face major barriers
in terms of just getting out to go for a walk.
So it's really important and crucial work that Achilles is
doing in the lives of those people, I think.
S4 (09:49):
So I think one of my biggest learnings, um, since
starting Achilles is that, um, exclusion hasn't come from an
inability to be able to do something. It actually has
come from that lack of opportunity and adaptation. And that's
what Achilles, you know, sets out to change.
S3 (10:01):
Running and walking are two of like the most popular
sports in terms of people getting involved from a grassroots level.
Why do you think that is?
S4 (10:12):
Well, I think from what I understand, I've been around
for a long time, but it's really grown since Covid.
I think it was something simple that everyone could do.
And then once they realized that, they can just walk
out your door and the way it makes you feel
to be in the fresh air, and it's such simple,
you don't have to pay anyone. You just need a
pair of running shoes to walk or run in. And yeah,
people get addicted. And we've got there's so many amazing
(10:34):
communities like I'm a part of actually three, including Achilles,
and there's no better way to wake up and do
something and make yourself feel good for the day. So
and that's why people have decided to take it up.
S3 (10:45):
Well, Justine, thank you so much for chatting with us.
It's been an absolute pleasure talking to you.
S4 (10:49):
Thank you, Lizzie, thanks for having us.
S2 (10:54):
Of course, wherever you are in Australia, you can find
a chapter of the Achilles Running Club, but simply go
to Achilles Australia and they will have links to all
the clubs around Australia.
S3 (11:06):
Yes of course. And the amazing thing that I love
about Achilles is that it does not require NDIS funding
to engage with a guide. But we are going to
hear from some people now who have had NDIS support
to achieve their health and fitness goals, and that is
definitely an option that is out there. I specifically have
(11:28):
support hours to improve and maintain my physical health and fitness.
So we're going to hear from Simon and Alex.
S2 (11:37):
So of course, I've known Simon a fair while. Um,
he was involved with blind sports back at the very
start when I was involved. And we're talking the 1980s. So, uh, yes, uh,
has got Simon got to say, for himself.
S6 (11:53):
Sport and fitness has been a huge part of my
life and a very important part of my life. I
came to Australia at the age of 13 and didn't
speak English, and it was very hard work trying to
catch up on English initially and then having to catch
up on all the schooling I was missing here and
I was getting older. So it was a very frustrating
(12:15):
teenage years or childhood I guess, with vision impairment etc.
but I did spend a couple of years at what
used to be called Townsend School. It's now called SA
school for Visually Impaired students, and I loved it when
I came across our PE teacher, Mr. Dennis Peck. Anyway,
(12:36):
running athletics, gymnastics was a compulsory part of PE. Whether
you like it or not, you got to run. And
when I was introduced to that, it was the best
thing for me. It was a way of getting rid
of my frustrations. And I was I became very good
at at it. Although I couldn't speak much English, I
couldn't express myself but take me to the running track
(12:59):
and I was able to express myself physically that way.
And also through athletics. I got to know a lot
of friends and made a lot of friends, and that
was very good for my, um, for my growing up
as a teenager in Australia. And in fact, the skills
and the mental discipline that was required and all that training,
(13:21):
I actually used that at uni to help me with
my studies. You know, I never used to wait until
the last night, you know, to cram for an exam.
I would put in my diary, okay, I've got three weeks,
four weeks to go to this exam. In the first
week I'm going to do this and I'll map it out.
So I actually treat it like I'm going into a
(13:42):
race and this is what I'm going to do. And
by then last night, I'm going to have a very
early night so I can actually get the most, you know,
feel good, feel energetic for the exam.
S3 (13:53):
Do you still do any sport today?
S6 (13:55):
These days I have been doing the last 1000 years
or not or more now. I've been doing tandem cycling. Uh,
although I don't do any more racing. I still go
out and train, and it's a great way to maintain
some social connection. But in the last few weeks, I've
actually joined up with a new group called Achilles Adelaide.
(14:17):
It's a it's an organisation. It's a not for profit
organization that's providing opportunities for blind vision, impaired people to
walk or run, you know, at their pace and if
they want to, you know, just exercise by walking casually.
That's all good. Um, and they're guides for people like that.
(14:37):
If you want to try running. That's good. Um, if
you're a very fast runner, they'll have very fast runners
to be your guide as well. And they really encourage
people to be part of community events such as city
to Bay. That's coming up. And, um, if you want
to do a marathon half marathon, they've got, you know, guys, uh,
that can actually support you to try them out.
S2 (15:03):
I suppose something to think about with Achilles is the
runners are not professionals. They are volunteers. So, um, yes,
they may not necessarily be fast enough for you if
you want to be an elite athlete, but that's where
you chase things up from a different direction, as it were.
S3 (15:20):
Yeah. And again, I will stress that this episode is
specifically to address those people who maybe they've never done
any sport before, apart from, you know, as a kid
in school, and they want to delve back into health
and fitness. This isn't for the elite athletes. This is
for the amateur recreational athletes or just people that think, hey,
(15:42):
I haven't done anything for a long time and I
want to take my health a bit more seriously and
it's time to start moving. So I think Achilles is
a really good first step for, you know, those kind
of people.
S2 (15:52):
Definitely. And so much of what you can find out
there is not you don't need to pay for it.
You can download apps that are on your phone that
are relatively accessible, that will assist you to achieve your
goals as well. So and in the case of well,
my phone it some of the apps actually come with
the phone already. So yes, it's not that hard to
(16:14):
get off one's backside and um, yes, do a bit
of exercise.
S3 (16:18):
Exactly. Sam. Uh, and you know, I do have a
list of different apps, so, uh, just for any phone user,
whether that be Apple or Android, you have Noom, which
is a calorie tracking app. But if you do pay
for these subscription, they do have articles and a whole
course that you go through to learn about healthy eating.
(16:39):
But if you just want the calorie tracking side of it,
you don't have to pay anything. There is Strava, which
is really accessible. It doesn't give you any programs to follow,
but you can record any activity. So for me, I
have my Apple Watch, which is linked to my phone
and incredibly accessible. And yesterday I did a one kilometre
run just going up and down the hallway of my house. So,
(17:01):
you know, um, it can track anything. Apple iPhones have
the fitness app, so the fitness app comes with a
lot of different trainer tips. They have short instructional videos
on different exercises. They have programs that you can do
like couch to five K. They have cycling programs everything.
(17:22):
And then of course YouTube is a great source. You
can find lots of channels like X hit daily and
different places that you can go to get workouts that
are described to you and you can follow along with them.
So we will put links in the podcast to some
of those apps of course. And you know, there's a
whole wealth of free programs and apps and videos that
(17:46):
you can follow along with. Before I started going to
the gym, I used to go on YouTube every day
and do about 15 20 minutes of X daily. And
I found the videos easy enough to follow. Even now
that I'm not doing any cycling racing, I just, uh,
find a training playlist and I'll just pick one of
(18:06):
the videos out of that and cycle along to that.
So there's definitely a whole variety of free apps that
you can use. And yeah, of course we will have
links to those.
S2 (18:17):
But if, uh, you think you need some help, there's
a good chance you can talk to someone like Alex,
for example.
S7 (18:23):
So obviously I do exercise physiology and stuff like that,
but I try and get out and walk, madam, every day.
I'd hoped to get back into archery with a new
with the new plan that's come in, but I don't
have the funding to actually get out on a Saturday
to go do archery, which is really annoying because I
enjoyed it.
S3 (18:41):
Is that the sport that you think you enjoyed the
most these days?
S7 (18:45):
Yes. Archery is really good fun.
S8 (18:47):
So talk us through blind archery, how it works and
what modifications are put in place.
S7 (18:52):
Okay, so your bow and everything's still exactly the same.
That doesn't change. What changes is the fact that you're
standing in a targeting frame. So the top of the
T is parallel with the target. And the branch that
you put your feet back against comes off of that.
It's got markers where you slide your feet so that
(19:13):
they're in place. At the front of the device is
a camera tripod with the targeting device on it. Now,
the whole trick behind it is you're drawing the bow
the same way, and you touch the same point on
the back of your hand every single time, and the
target lines you up as close to bullseye on the
target as you can. By the time I'd finished, I
(19:34):
was shooting out to blind archery competition distance, which is 30m.
S8 (19:39):
Amazing. So why didn't you pursue competition in blind archery.
S7 (19:44):
Because it's not what I wanted to do. Blind archery
isn't part of the Paralympics. It's not big enough. For example,
the World Championships. You may see ten countries there, but
there's only 14 shooters across every category. It's not very
big and I wanted to do it just to enjoy it.
And the person who was coaching me kept going, pushing
(20:04):
and pushing and pushing. I'm like, just sign off on
my beginner's course. I just want to shoot casually. I'm
not here to compete. I just want to have fun.
S3 (20:15):
So Alex does highlight there that there is potential for
NDIS plans to cover goals related to health and fitness,
to get an exercise physiologist or a physiotherapist or a
specialized health professional, you do need the necessary OT reports
(20:36):
and they can be hard to get, especially if you
don't have enough funding in the first place to do that.
So a lot of those fundings are only given out
if you have the evidence to support your need. However,
I've gotten around that. Actually, I have a support worker
who's very familiar with Jim life and Jim culture and
(20:57):
has been going to Jim for the last 40 years.
So instead of, you know, going around and dealing with
all the red tape of having to get all those reports,
I get him to take me to the Jim as
a support worker, charge me normal social rec and community rates,
and he spots me. I write my own programs. I
decide what I want to do on the day. But
(21:17):
he spots me. He critiques my form. He lets me
know if things are becoming too unsafe. And you know,
he just makes sure that my experience is smooth and
safe and that I'm, you know, getting the most out
of it. So there are definitely ways to do it.
I've also had support workers take me on hikes. I've
had support workers take me tandem riding. So there are
(21:40):
definitely ways that you can incorporate your health and fitness
into your NDIS plan. If that's something that you are
looking into doing. Get in contact with your local area
coordinator or of course your support coordinator if you have one.
If you want a specialised allied health professional to help you.
You will need that evidence, as I said, but there
(22:02):
are definitely workarounds if you have a support worker that
you trust.
S2 (22:06):
A lot of the problem is knowing where to start, really.
And that's what it comes down to, is yes. If
you've got someone who does know their way around a
gym or someone with a sports fitness background of some sort,
then that's is a bonus. The concern I have is
that some fitness organisations will start to insist that people
(22:26):
have a quote unquote, carer with them for the whole time.
It's starting to creep into some, uh, shops and, and
things like that. So it can be a bit worrying and, um,
I find that would be concerning, especially if, for example,
I decided to go into a gym and they said, oh, yeah,
we need you to have a carer.
S3 (22:45):
I mean, I can't speak for all gym owners, of course.
I mean, I don't think you would have a problem
just because you could waltz in there by yourself. But
if me, who looks clearly blind, waltzes into a gym
and goes, sign me up, they might have a few questions.
In fact, they did because I walked in with my
seeing eye dog, Lacey, when, you know, she was working
and they said, oh, how are you going to get around?
(23:07):
Do you want to employ a personal trainer? And I said, no,
I have a support worker that will be bringing me. So,
you know, I can understand the concern there. But for
some people it is necessary. I do not feel confident
at all as a totally blind person to navigate a
gym safely, especially with people hurling around weights, and not
everybody observes the proper gym etiquette. So I would encourage
(23:31):
anyone who is or has low enough vision or is
totally blind to be with someone just to spot you
until you get used to the gym. Maybe. But yeah,
for me, definitely, I. I wouldn't go by myself.
S2 (23:43):
The fact that they offered a personal trainer is actually
a good sign. That's, um, that means that they thought
about the thing themselves. And what we've got to understand is,
from a sporting background, it goes well on the resume
when you say, oh, yes, I have worked with people
with a disability.
S3 (23:58):
Oh, yeah. Precisely. You know, I've been to lots of,
of different classes. Uh, through my gym. I did boxercise
for a while. That was my absolute favorite. Oh, I
wish I could do it again, but they've stopped those classes, and, yeah,
the personal trainer that was running, it was, um, more
than willing to help in any way necessary. I did
have my support worker, Chris, with me, but, you know,
(24:18):
the trainer was always checking up on us, seeing how
we were going, seeing if I wanted to partner with
somebody else, seeing how they could modify things for me or,
you know, if things needed modifying, which, you know, I
was pretty good at following along. So, yeah, people generally,
I think, are becoming more accepting of people with disabilities
coming to work out and train.
S2 (24:39):
As I said, it's an opportunity. Yeah. Anyway, next up
we are talking to Maddie, who is on a slightly
different journey than, um, most of the other people we're
talking about.
S9 (24:48):
Uh, sport is a huge part of my life. I
feel like it's probably taken over most of my life
for the last couple of years, but I really love it.
S3 (24:57):
Amazing. So, what sports do you play?
S9 (24:59):
So I'm a tandem cyclist, and, uh, I'm a road cyclist,
so me and my pilot, Laura, we get out as
much as we can on the tandem and, uh, enter
as many races as we can. I also used to
do athletics and still do some now. I used to
be a sprinter, but I've gotten into, like, running the
(25:19):
longer distances.
S3 (25:20):
And I heard somewhere down the line that you were
training up to be the next biggest bodybuilder. Is that correct?
S9 (25:25):
Um, yeah. I do go to the gym a couple
times a week, but, um, probably not quite there for
bodybuilding yet.
S2 (25:36):
Ah.
S3 (25:36):
What a shame, Maddie. You need to. You need to,
you know, get into that gym life, bro.
S2 (25:42):
Well, well, I mean, if she wants to give it
a go, I'll give it a go. I mean, as
you as you can tell, I am, uh, a muscle bound. Uh. Yes. Adonis.
S3 (25:50):
So.
S2 (25:51):
Um. But, uh. No, I mean, she's on her own
journey there, and I wish, I wish her all the
luck in the world, because, frankly, nowadays, you need a
lot of luck.
S3 (26:02):
You don't just need luck. You need to know people. Um, and. Yeah,
I mean, that's a whole nother conversation. But I often
did make the joke that when I. If I quit cycling,
which I have in terms of pursuing a sporting career,
I would take up bodybuilding. And that's looking to be
more and more a possibility. Yeah, but but I don't
know who's.
S2 (26:23):
Aiming to build the, uh, muscles, not the stomach.
S3 (26:26):
Sam.
S2 (26:26):
Shut up.
S3 (26:27):
What are you trying to say? Am I getting fat
or something?
S2 (26:30):
I won't, I wouldn't, I wouldn't dream of it. Anyway, um,
we're next, uh, talking to Paralympic gold medalist Anthony Clark.
S10 (26:41):
For me, sport was in some ways a lifesaver for me.
After I lost my accent. I lived in a very
rough area, grew up a very rough, uh, lifestyle of violence,
alcohol and drugs. And, uh, after I lost my sight,
I was still getting involved in that area, but realized
(27:03):
something has to change. Otherwise my life expectancy would not
be there. And so I chose. I tried a number
of sports. I did, you know, swish, which is a
form of table tennis for the blind, which I still
do to this day, which is great fun, good recreational,
easy sport to play. Not too stressful though. Did blind cricket, uh,
(27:27):
for quite a few years and was good at that.
But it But something was urging me on to do
something different. I guess more mainstream. So you're not segregated
as much from society. So I chose judo, um, which
is a martial arts bit similar to wrestling. I call
it wrestling in pyjamas because we wear white suits. And
(27:49):
and I thought I could do that. And so I
just went to my local judo club. I was fairly
forceful because a little bit resistant, a bit taken back
by person, rolling up blind, wanting to do it. But
the coach thought, I'll give you a go. And I
took to it like a duck out of water. And um,
and uh, for me, I just went on to, uh,
doing five Olympics, being the best in the world in
(28:10):
my sport. So I got a lot of, um, success
out of it. Also led into me going to study
in physical fitness areas, which got me the job, but
they were all sort of blind managing the gym and
so on got me into messing with running a business.
So had sort of a flow on effects. Sporting a
(28:31):
physical education area. Um, also being an elite athlete, it
gave me other opportunities to study um, within the physical
education area, which I did and got me some work
placements area. That's how I got the job with the
Passenger Transport Board running disability awareness programs. I had a
lot of indirect consequences and I can still remember to
(28:52):
this day years ago, I think it was a welfare
officer in Queensland when I was living up there, said, oh,
you wasted your time on sport or lead to nowhere. And, uh,
I'd like to see that person now because, um, I've
been highly successful not only in sport, but the sport
has given me the skills to, to to be successful
(29:15):
not just in sport, but to give me the strength
to get the education under discrimination, setbacks, to keep pushing
forward gave me the strength to go on. And uh,
as a consequence, I've been working all my life.
S3 (29:34):
We have had everyone from the beginner to the elite
athlete on today's program. And I think if I want
listeners to get anything from this episode, it is that
no matter what your goal is, whether it's just being
able to walk a kilometer or being able to represent
your country, you can do it. There are ways of
(29:54):
achieving it. And I relate to Anthony's story so much
because I too have come from, you know, difficult circumstances
and sport or fitness did save my life to some degree.
So yeah.
S2 (30:07):
There are opportunities out there, so take them. But that
is a wrap for this week. A big thank you
of course to Justine, to Alex, Maddy, Anthony and Simon.
S3 (30:17):
And of course a big thanks to you, including our
listeners on the Reading Radio Network. You can download a
podcast of this program plus some extra content from your
favorite podcast platform next week.
S2 (30:29):
What do you really think? We look at the unconscious
bias that many people have against disability and what that
means when you're looking for work.
S3 (30:38):
But between now and then, please do get in touch
with the show. Whether you have experience with any of
the issues covered on this week's episode of Studio One,
or if you think there's something we should be talking about.
You never know. Your story and insight may help someone
who's dealing with something similar.
S2 (30:54):
You can email us at studio One at org, that's
studio number one at org.
S3 (30:59):
Or of course you can find us on all the
good social media platforms like Facebook and Instagram by searching
for VA Radio Network.
S1 (31:07):
Studio one was produced in the Adelaide studios of Vision
Australia Radio. This show was made possible with the help
of the Community Broadcasting Foundation. Find out more at.
This is Studio One with Sam Rickard and Lizzie Eastham
on Vision Australia radio.
S2 (00:24):
Hello, I'm Sam and I'm Lizzie and this is Studio One,
your weekly look at life from a low vision and
blind point of view here on Vision Australia Radio.
S3 (00:32):
This week the sports shoes are back on as we
look at how to get fit, especially when you are
new to the world of health and fitness.
S2 (00:41):
As we always say at this point, please do get
in touch with the show. Whether you have experience with
any of the issues covered on this episode of Studio One,
or if you think there's something we should be talking about.
You never know. Your story and insight may help somebody
else who is dealing with something similar.
S3 (00:55):
You can email us at Studio One at Vision Australia.
That's studio number one Australia. Or of course, you can
drop us a note on our Facebook page by going
to facebook.com. Radio network. Well, Sam, I have to say
that this week is a topic that I'm really, really
(01:16):
passionate about. But before we get into that, though, I
want to ask, since hanging up the running shoes and
retiring from your professional sports career, what exercise do you
engage in to keep fit?
S2 (01:27):
Most of it's actually just walking because I've got no choice.
I don't drive a car, so I walk from point
A to point B, and compared to a lot of
other things, it doesn't injure me as much. I've tried
going out for runs and, uh, yeah, a little bit
of cycling here and there and I find I get injured. Um,
and I don't have the support of, you know, just
being able to walk to sports medicine and, and see
(01:49):
a physio anymore or get a free massage every week.
So yes, that's kind of been a thing. In fact,
only only, um, last week I had a injection in
my hip for a Bursa. So I'm hoping to actually
get out and do a bit more exercise, especially as
we've got spring coming along and it looks like it's
going to be some lovely weather coming up.
S3 (02:08):
Ah, yes. I'm very excited for spring, you know. it's
interesting that you should say about walking and just incidental,
because when I was overweight, that was the biggest and
most helpful way that I found to get my exercise.
In fact, when I first started, that was the only
form of exercise I actually did for a solid six
months was just getting out early and walking with Lacy.
(02:31):
And you know, it helped me to build up enough
fitness to start going back to gym and doing the
other activities that I like to do now. So walking
is so crucial. In fact, there are so many studies
being published year after year and so many people coming
out of the woodwork saying that walking is the best
exercise because yeah, it's not as likely that you'll get
(02:52):
injured as, say, running. And it also boosts your mental health.
And we could talk all day about the benefits of walking.
But yeah, the reason I'm so passionate about this subject, Sam,
is because I really do believe that there aren't too
many people out there promoting the benefits of health and fitness. And, um,
as people with disabilities, we already have that barrier of
(03:14):
being able to get out and exercise alone.
S2 (03:17):
Well, yes, definitely. And at least if you are walking somewhere,
you can just do that in your local neighborhood. If
you if it gets you the chance to to know
what's going on. Um, I used to find, of course,
when I had a pet dog, that there was another
excuse to get out there because he needed to be exercised.
So yes, it's it's one thing that to get out
there and know, I mean, the able bodied world doesn't
necessarily think of the need for people to get fit.
(03:40):
I mean, one tip I can probably give people out
there is when you're choosing to go somewhere, if you've
got a choice between a bus ride or whatever, and
there's a bit of a walk involved, choose the journey
that gives you a bit of a walk. It might
take you a little bit longer, but I mean, I
find getting to and from work I've got a choice
(04:02):
of a bus, bus or a train. The bus takes
about 45 minutes to get here and 45 minutes to
get back home again. But it picks me up and
drops me off pretty much outside the studio. And, um,
the other side is almost outside my door, so there's
no walking involved. Um, so I regard the walk to
the station and then the walk from um, Island station
(04:25):
to here to be the bonus of, of that particular journey.
That's the main reason why I take the train journey.
S3 (04:33):
Yeah. And, you know, like when people are coming from
a state of obesity or chronic health conditions, often the
first thing that doctors or medical professionals will prescribe in
terms of exercise is walking. Because it's so low impact,
it has so many benefits. It increases endorphins, it improves
mental health. You know, I've often spoken about my struggles
(04:56):
with mental health. I've been pretty open with my struggles
with bipolar. And I will say that just being able
to go out for a walk when things are getting
heavy has been an absolute lifesaver and a sanity preserver
for me. But I think enough of us talking. We
will get to the first interview, which is with Justine Crawford,
(05:19):
who started the Adelaide chapter of Achilles Running Club. Welcome, Justine,
onto studio one.
S4 (05:28):
Thank you. Nice to be here.
S5 (05:29):
So to get started, explain to us what is Achilles ankle?
S4 (05:33):
Achilles Adelaide is the name of the run club. And
it's a not for profit running and walking club where
people who are blind or have low vision are paired
with volunteer guides. It's not just about running. We do walking,
jogging and a lot of chatting along the way. So
people that you know love a slow walk or a
jog walk or a longer run are all welcome.
S5 (05:51):
Cool. So you guys, you cater to people of all
levels then?
S4 (05:54):
Absolutely, yes. Now we've got people that walk and will
only walk. Um, we've got some that are walked that
are sort of say to me, hey Justine, can I
try running this week? And then we've got people that
like to run. And I think you guys have listened
to a podcast recently. You had Simon Wong on and
he was a walker. He was a runner years ago,
then was a bike rider, and then he was walking
and he's now running, so it's fantastic to see.
S5 (06:15):
That sounds amazing. It sounds like an amazing group of people.
What got you involved? Yeah.
S4 (06:21):
Well, for me, running has always been vital for my
mental wellbeing. I think it just clears my head, lifts
my mood. And you get to be surrounded in friendships, um,
and helps build resilience. And just along the way, I
just decided that everyone deserves to experience that. Um, and
then after seeing Achilles Melbourne training around the tan a
few years ago, I really simply thought that Adelaide needs this.
(06:41):
And when I found out there wasn't an Achilles Adelaide existing,
I just decided I could make that happen. I got
the idea end of last year and we had our
first session with athletes coming out. So we trained a
few athletes, so trained a few guards at the end
of last year, 2024, and then we really officially started
on the 7th of February this year with athletes coming
(07:02):
out and pairing them with guides. And, you know, we
started just with Cassie Holmes, one person, and then it
just slowly grown from there.
S5 (07:08):
Amazing. Yeah, I think I remember coming to one of
your first gatherings at Victoria Park, where we did an
episode on.
S4 (07:15):
You did we were training all the guides at that
stage and just trying to get, and obviously I needed
to make sure I had enough guides to cater for
the athletes, um, in the first place. So we did
three different training sessions at the end of last year
to try and get some interest, of which you were
at one of those. And, you know, we've just grown
from there.
S5 (07:32):
Fantastic. So nowadays, how guides recruited.
S4 (07:35):
Um, it started with, um, actually mostly friends who backed
me a little bit and came out and now they're
really coming from all walks of life. We someone might
see us running along Glenelg and they'll reach out to me.
They'll just Google the top. We wear bright yellow tops,
so they're pretty obvious. Um, I've had a few follow up,
like I've got three new guys that want to come
out this weekend after seeing us at the city today.
(07:56):
And I think anyone that, um, you know, at the
end of the day, there's no standards required to be
a guide. And so as long as they're encouraging and
patient and want to make a difference, they can come
out and we welcome them. And I think that's a
really nice thing because it's such a simple way to
make a difference.
S5 (08:12):
Absolutely. You were talking before about how you cater to
all levels. So can you talk to us about what
are some of the goals that you helped athletes to achieve?
S4 (08:23):
Yeah, absolutely. So one of the big goals I'll talk
about the running ones. But again, the goals can be
as simple as getting out every week for a walk.
We've got one lady who her support worker doesn't walk
and she loves it. So she gets to come out.
And for me that's actually kicking a goal. Also we've
got you know gentleman Johnny and he did the 10-K
at Adelaide Marathon. Just finished the half marathon at the
(08:45):
Bay last weekend and has achieved that goal. And that'll
be Achilles, Adelaide's first ever world major marathon. We've had Warren,
I think a lot of people know Warren, with Achilles help,
was able to go up to do the Oceania Masters
games and it was the first year they had a
para category, and he was able to get two gold
medals from that, and we sent up a guide to
(09:05):
be with him. And on top of that, he's done
a city to Bay and the Gold Coast Marathon. And
then Cathy, another lady, she just did the half marathon
at the Sydney O2 and got a two minute PB,
and she's had her eye on the Souda Bay for
about four years. She said to do the half marathon
and has never been able to do it because unable
to have regular training and also have a guide to
come with her. So she was just absolutely ecstatic, even
(09:26):
though it poured all day.
S3 (09:28):
That sounds amazing, and I do agree with you that
the smaller goals are just as important, because there are
a lot of people in the disabled community, or even
the blind and low vision community who face major barriers
in terms of just getting out to go for a walk.
So it's really important and crucial work that Achilles is
doing in the lives of those people, I think.
S4 (09:49):
So I think one of my biggest learnings, um, since
starting Achilles is that, um, exclusion hasn't come from an
inability to be able to do something. It actually has
come from that lack of opportunity and adaptation. And that's
what Achilles, you know, sets out to change.
S3 (10:01):
Running and walking are two of like the most popular
sports in terms of people getting involved from a grassroots level.
Why do you think that is?
S4 (10:12):
Well, I think from what I understand, I've been around
for a long time, but it's really grown since Covid.
I think it was something simple that everyone could do.
And then once they realized that, they can just walk
out your door and the way it makes you feel
to be in the fresh air, and it's such simple,
you don't have to pay anyone. You just need a
pair of running shoes to walk or run in. And yeah,
people get addicted. And we've got there's so many amazing
(10:34):
communities like I'm a part of actually three, including Achilles,
and there's no better way to wake up and do
something and make yourself feel good for the day. So
and that's why people have decided to take it up.
S3 (10:45):
Well, Justine, thank you so much for chatting with us.
It's been an absolute pleasure talking to you.
S4 (10:49):
Thank you, Lizzie, thanks for having us.
S2 (10:54):
Of course, wherever you are in Australia, you can find
a chapter of the Achilles Running Club, but simply go
to Achilles Australia and they will have links to all
the clubs around Australia.
S3 (11:06):
Yes of course. And the amazing thing that I love
about Achilles is that it does not require NDIS funding
to engage with a guide. But we are going to
hear from some people now who have had NDIS support
to achieve their health and fitness goals, and that is
definitely an option that is out there. I specifically have
(11:28):
support hours to improve and maintain my physical health and fitness.
So we're going to hear from Simon and Alex.
S2 (11:37):
So of course, I've known Simon a fair while. Um,
he was involved with blind sports back at the very
start when I was involved. And we're talking the 1980s. So, uh, yes, uh,
has got Simon got to say, for himself.
S6 (11:53):
Sport and fitness has been a huge part of my
life and a very important part of my life. I
came to Australia at the age of 13 and didn't
speak English, and it was very hard work trying to
catch up on English initially and then having to catch
up on all the schooling I was missing here and
I was getting older. So it was a very frustrating
(12:15):
teenage years or childhood I guess, with vision impairment etc.
but I did spend a couple of years at what
used to be called Townsend School. It's now called SA
school for Visually Impaired students, and I loved it when
I came across our PE teacher, Mr. Dennis Peck. Anyway,
(12:36):
running athletics, gymnastics was a compulsory part of PE. Whether
you like it or not, you got to run. And
when I was introduced to that, it was the best
thing for me. It was a way of getting rid
of my frustrations. And I was I became very good
at at it. Although I couldn't speak much English, I
couldn't express myself but take me to the running track
(12:59):
and I was able to express myself physically that way.
And also through athletics. I got to know a lot
of friends and made a lot of friends, and that
was very good for my, um, for my growing up
as a teenager in Australia. And in fact, the skills
and the mental discipline that was required and all that training,
(13:21):
I actually used that at uni to help me with
my studies. You know, I never used to wait until
the last night, you know, to cram for an exam.
I would put in my diary, okay, I've got three weeks,
four weeks to go to this exam. In the first
week I'm going to do this and I'll map it out.
So I actually treat it like I'm going into a
(13:42):
race and this is what I'm going to do. And
by then last night, I'm going to have a very
early night so I can actually get the most, you know,
feel good, feel energetic for the exam.
S3 (13:53):
Do you still do any sport today?
S6 (13:55):
These days I have been doing the last 1000 years
or not or more now. I've been doing tandem cycling. Uh,
although I don't do any more racing. I still go
out and train, and it's a great way to maintain
some social connection. But in the last few weeks, I've
actually joined up with a new group called Achilles Adelaide.
(14:17):
It's a it's an organisation. It's a not for profit
organization that's providing opportunities for blind vision, impaired people to
walk or run, you know, at their pace and if
they want to, you know, just exercise by walking casually.
That's all good. Um, and they're guides for people like that.
(14:37):
If you want to try running. That's good. Um, if
you're a very fast runner, they'll have very fast runners
to be your guide as well. And they really encourage
people to be part of community events such as city
to Bay. That's coming up. And, um, if you want
to do a marathon half marathon, they've got, you know, guys, uh,
that can actually support you to try them out.
S2 (15:03):
I suppose something to think about with Achilles is the
runners are not professionals. They are volunteers. So, um, yes,
they may not necessarily be fast enough for you if
you want to be an elite athlete, but that's where
you chase things up from a different direction, as it were.
S3 (15:20):
Yeah. And again, I will stress that this episode is
specifically to address those people who maybe they've never done
any sport before, apart from, you know, as a kid
in school, and they want to delve back into health
and fitness. This isn't for the elite athletes. This is
for the amateur recreational athletes or just people that think, hey,
(15:42):
I haven't done anything for a long time and I
want to take my health a bit more seriously and
it's time to start moving. So I think Achilles is
a really good first step for, you know, those kind
of people.
S2 (15:52):
Definitely. And so much of what you can find out
there is not you don't need to pay for it.
You can download apps that are on your phone that
are relatively accessible, that will assist you to achieve your
goals as well. So and in the case of well,
my phone it some of the apps actually come with
the phone already. So yes, it's not that hard to
(16:14):
get off one's backside and um, yes, do a bit
of exercise.
S3 (16:18):
Exactly. Sam. Uh, and you know, I do have a
list of different apps, so, uh, just for any phone user,
whether that be Apple or Android, you have Noom, which
is a calorie tracking app. But if you do pay
for these subscription, they do have articles and a whole
course that you go through to learn about healthy eating.
(16:39):
But if you just want the calorie tracking side of it,
you don't have to pay anything. There is Strava, which
is really accessible. It doesn't give you any programs to follow,
but you can record any activity. So for me, I
have my Apple Watch, which is linked to my phone
and incredibly accessible. And yesterday I did a one kilometre
run just going up and down the hallway of my house. So,
(17:01):
you know, um, it can track anything. Apple iPhones have
the fitness app, so the fitness app comes with a
lot of different trainer tips. They have short instructional videos
on different exercises. They have programs that you can do
like couch to five K. They have cycling programs everything.
(17:22):
And then of course YouTube is a great source. You
can find lots of channels like X hit daily and
different places that you can go to get workouts that
are described to you and you can follow along with them.
So we will put links in the podcast to some
of those apps of course. And you know, there's a
whole wealth of free programs and apps and videos that
(17:46):
you can follow along with. Before I started going to
the gym, I used to go on YouTube every day
and do about 15 20 minutes of X daily. And
I found the videos easy enough to follow. Even now
that I'm not doing any cycling racing, I just, uh,
find a training playlist and I'll just pick one of
(18:06):
the videos out of that and cycle along to that.
So there's definitely a whole variety of free apps that
you can use. And yeah, of course we will have
links to those.
S2 (18:17):
But if, uh, you think you need some help, there's
a good chance you can talk to someone like Alex,
for example.
S7 (18:23):
So obviously I do exercise physiology and stuff like that,
but I try and get out and walk, madam, every day.
I'd hoped to get back into archery with a new
with the new plan that's come in, but I don't
have the funding to actually get out on a Saturday
to go do archery, which is really annoying because I
enjoyed it.
S3 (18:41):
Is that the sport that you think you enjoyed the
most these days?
S7 (18:45):
Yes. Archery is really good fun.
S8 (18:47):
So talk us through blind archery, how it works and
what modifications are put in place.
S7 (18:52):
Okay, so your bow and everything's still exactly the same.
That doesn't change. What changes is the fact that you're
standing in a targeting frame. So the top of the
T is parallel with the target. And the branch that
you put your feet back against comes off of that.
It's got markers where you slide your feet so that
(19:13):
they're in place. At the front of the device is
a camera tripod with the targeting device on it. Now,
the whole trick behind it is you're drawing the bow
the same way, and you touch the same point on
the back of your hand every single time, and the
target lines you up as close to bullseye on the
target as you can. By the time I'd finished, I
(19:34):
was shooting out to blind archery competition distance, which is 30m.
S8 (19:39):
Amazing. So why didn't you pursue competition in blind archery.
S7 (19:44):
Because it's not what I wanted to do. Blind archery
isn't part of the Paralympics. It's not big enough. For example,
the World Championships. You may see ten countries there, but
there's only 14 shooters across every category. It's not very
big and I wanted to do it just to enjoy it.
And the person who was coaching me kept going, pushing
(20:04):
and pushing and pushing. I'm like, just sign off on
my beginner's course. I just want to shoot casually. I'm
not here to compete. I just want to have fun.
S3 (20:15):
So Alex does highlight there that there is potential for
NDIS plans to cover goals related to health and fitness,
to get an exercise physiologist or a physiotherapist or a
specialized health professional, you do need the necessary OT reports
(20:36):
and they can be hard to get, especially if you
don't have enough funding in the first place to do that.
So a lot of those fundings are only given out
if you have the evidence to support your need. However,
I've gotten around that. Actually, I have a support worker
who's very familiar with Jim life and Jim culture and
(20:57):
has been going to Jim for the last 40 years.
So instead of, you know, going around and dealing with
all the red tape of having to get all those reports,
I get him to take me to the Jim as
a support worker, charge me normal social rec and community rates,
and he spots me. I write my own programs. I
decide what I want to do on the day. But
(21:17):
he spots me. He critiques my form. He lets me
know if things are becoming too unsafe. And you know,
he just makes sure that my experience is smooth and
safe and that I'm, you know, getting the most out
of it. So there are definitely ways to do it.
I've also had support workers take me on hikes. I've
had support workers take me tandem riding. So there are
(21:40):
definitely ways that you can incorporate your health and fitness
into your NDIS plan. If that's something that you are
looking into doing. Get in contact with your local area
coordinator or of course your support coordinator if you have one.
If you want a specialised allied health professional to help you.
You will need that evidence, as I said, but there
(22:02):
are definitely workarounds if you have a support worker that
you trust.
S2 (22:06):
A lot of the problem is knowing where to start, really.
And that's what it comes down to, is yes. If
you've got someone who does know their way around a
gym or someone with a sports fitness background of some sort,
then that's is a bonus. The concern I have is
that some fitness organisations will start to insist that people
(22:26):
have a quote unquote, carer with them for the whole time.
It's starting to creep into some, uh, shops and, and
things like that. So it can be a bit worrying and, um,
I find that would be concerning, especially if, for example,
I decided to go into a gym and they said, oh, yeah,
we need you to have a carer.
S3 (22:45):
I mean, I can't speak for all gym owners, of course.
I mean, I don't think you would have a problem
just because you could waltz in there by yourself. But
if me, who looks clearly blind, waltzes into a gym
and goes, sign me up, they might have a few questions.
In fact, they did because I walked in with my
seeing eye dog, Lacey, when, you know, she was working
and they said, oh, how are you going to get around?
(23:07):
Do you want to employ a personal trainer? And I said, no,
I have a support worker that will be bringing me. So,
you know, I can understand the concern there. But for
some people it is necessary. I do not feel confident
at all as a totally blind person to navigate a
gym safely, especially with people hurling around weights, and not
everybody observes the proper gym etiquette. So I would encourage
(23:31):
anyone who is or has low enough vision or is
totally blind to be with someone just to spot you
until you get used to the gym. Maybe. But yeah,
for me, definitely, I. I wouldn't go by myself.
S2 (23:43):
The fact that they offered a personal trainer is actually
a good sign. That's, um, that means that they thought
about the thing themselves. And what we've got to understand is,
from a sporting background, it goes well on the resume
when you say, oh, yes, I have worked with people
with a disability.
S3 (23:58):
Oh, yeah. Precisely. You know, I've been to lots of,
of different classes. Uh, through my gym. I did boxercise
for a while. That was my absolute favorite. Oh, I
wish I could do it again, but they've stopped those classes, and, yeah,
the personal trainer that was running, it was, um, more
than willing to help in any way necessary. I did
have my support worker, Chris, with me, but, you know,
(24:18):
the trainer was always checking up on us, seeing how
we were going, seeing if I wanted to partner with
somebody else, seeing how they could modify things for me or,
you know, if things needed modifying, which, you know, I
was pretty good at following along. So, yeah, people generally,
I think, are becoming more accepting of people with disabilities
coming to work out and train.
S2 (24:39):
As I said, it's an opportunity. Yeah. Anyway, next up
we are talking to Maddie, who is on a slightly
different journey than, um, most of the other people we're
talking about.
S9 (24:48):
Uh, sport is a huge part of my life. I
feel like it's probably taken over most of my life
for the last couple of years, but I really love it.
S3 (24:57):
Amazing. So, what sports do you play?
S9 (24:59):
So I'm a tandem cyclist, and, uh, I'm a road cyclist,
so me and my pilot, Laura, we get out as
much as we can on the tandem and, uh, enter
as many races as we can. I also used to
do athletics and still do some now. I used to
be a sprinter, but I've gotten into, like, running the
(25:19):
longer distances.
S3 (25:20):
And I heard somewhere down the line that you were
training up to be the next biggest bodybuilder. Is that correct?
S9 (25:25):
Um, yeah. I do go to the gym a couple
times a week, but, um, probably not quite there for
bodybuilding yet.
S2 (25:36):
Ah.
S3 (25:36):
What a shame, Maddie. You need to. You need to,
you know, get into that gym life, bro.
S2 (25:42):
Well, well, I mean, if she wants to give it
a go, I'll give it a go. I mean, as
you as you can tell, I am, uh, a muscle bound. Uh. Yes. Adonis.
S3 (25:50):
So.
S2 (25:51):
Um. But, uh. No, I mean, she's on her own
journey there, and I wish, I wish her all the
luck in the world, because, frankly, nowadays, you need a
lot of luck.
S3 (26:02):
You don't just need luck. You need to know people. Um, and. Yeah,
I mean, that's a whole nother conversation. But I often
did make the joke that when I. If I quit cycling,
which I have in terms of pursuing a sporting career,
I would take up bodybuilding. And that's looking to be
more and more a possibility. Yeah, but but I don't
know who's.
S2 (26:23):
Aiming to build the, uh, muscles, not the stomach.
S3 (26:26):
Sam.
S2 (26:26):
Shut up.
S3 (26:27):
What are you trying to say? Am I getting fat
or something?
S2 (26:30):
I won't, I wouldn't, I wouldn't dream of it. Anyway, um,
we're next, uh, talking to Paralympic gold medalist Anthony Clark.
S10 (26:41):
For me, sport was in some ways a lifesaver for me.
After I lost my accent. I lived in a very
rough area, grew up a very rough, uh, lifestyle of violence,
alcohol and drugs. And, uh, after I lost my sight,
I was still getting involved in that area, but realized
(27:03):
something has to change. Otherwise my life expectancy would not
be there. And so I chose. I tried a number
of sports. I did, you know, swish, which is a
form of table tennis for the blind, which I still
do to this day, which is great fun, good recreational,
easy sport to play. Not too stressful though. Did blind cricket, uh,
(27:27):
for quite a few years and was good at that.
But it But something was urging me on to do
something different. I guess more mainstream. So you're not segregated
as much from society. So I chose judo, um, which
is a martial arts bit similar to wrestling. I call
it wrestling in pyjamas because we wear white suits. And
(27:49):
and I thought I could do that. And so I
just went to my local judo club. I was fairly
forceful because a little bit resistant, a bit taken back
by person, rolling up blind, wanting to do it. But
the coach thought, I'll give you a go. And I
took to it like a duck out of water. And um,
and uh, for me, I just went on to, uh,
doing five Olympics, being the best in the world in
(28:10):
my sport. So I got a lot of, um, success
out of it. Also led into me going to study
in physical fitness areas, which got me the job, but
they were all sort of blind managing the gym and
so on got me into messing with running a business.
So had sort of a flow on effects. Sporting a
(28:31):
physical education area. Um, also being an elite athlete, it
gave me other opportunities to study um, within the physical
education area, which I did and got me some work
placements area. That's how I got the job with the
Passenger Transport Board running disability awareness programs. I had a
lot of indirect consequences and I can still remember to
(28:52):
this day years ago, I think it was a welfare
officer in Queensland when I was living up there, said, oh,
you wasted your time on sport or lead to nowhere. And, uh,
I'd like to see that person now because, um, I've
been highly successful not only in sport, but the sport
has given me the skills to, to to be successful
(29:15):
not just in sport, but to give me the strength
to get the education under discrimination, setbacks, to keep pushing
forward gave me the strength to go on. And uh,
as a consequence, I've been working all my life.
S3 (29:34):
We have had everyone from the beginner to the elite
athlete on today's program. And I think if I want
listeners to get anything from this episode, it is that
no matter what your goal is, whether it's just being
able to walk a kilometer or being able to represent
your country, you can do it. There are ways of
(29:54):
achieving it. And I relate to Anthony's story so much
because I too have come from, you know, difficult circumstances
and sport or fitness did save my life to some degree.
So yeah.
S2 (30:07):
There are opportunities out there, so take them. But that
is a wrap for this week. A big thank you
of course to Justine, to Alex, Maddy, Anthony and Simon.
S3 (30:17):
And of course a big thanks to you, including our
listeners on the Reading Radio Network. You can download a
podcast of this program plus some extra content from your
favorite podcast platform next week.
S2 (30:29):
What do you really think? We look at the unconscious
bias that many people have against disability and what that
means when you're looking for work.
S3 (30:38):
But between now and then, please do get in touch
with the show. Whether you have experience with any of
the issues covered on this week's episode of Studio One,
or if you think there's something we should be talking about.
You never know. Your story and insight may help someone
who's dealing with something similar.
S2 (30:54):
You can email us at studio One at org, that's
studio number one at org.
S3 (30:59):
Or of course you can find us on all the
good social media platforms like Facebook and Instagram by searching
for VA Radio Network.
S1 (31:07):
Studio one was produced in the Adelaide studios of Vision
Australia Radio. This show was made possible with the help
of the Community Broadcasting Foundation. Find out more at.
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