https://www.triathlon.org/news/article/kirsten_sass_usa_racing_in_honour_of_an_inspiring_father
Read More
DOUBT Ever feel like an imposter? Like you’re living someone else’s life? Here I am- 43 years old, blind, and chasing the biggest goal in all of athletics. A spot on the United States Olympic Team in a sport I only took up 6 years ago. Only 8 years ago I was the fine wine buyer for a chain of large wine stores in NY/ NJ and CT. I knew my place in the world. I loved my chosen career and knew that as someone living with vision loss, it would be something I could do for the…
Rio was a blur of coconuts, bikinis, meetings and odd foods leading up to our race. Sighted guide Lindsey Cook of Hanover Indiana and I were one of 11 athletes (9 athletes and two guides for blind athletes) to be selected for this very important ‘Test Event’ on the actual course that the Paralympics will be held on in 2016. We were honored to be selected based on our world ITU (International Triathlon Union) ranking and the number of points we had earned this season of racing together. Most of the athletes met in Houston from all over the country,…
Howie wheeled his chair up to the front desk after we had cleaned up from the morning’s race. “Hey man, we want to do a jungle tour. Something REALLY dangerous. Do you think you can hook us up?” The hotel concierge eyed us all warily. “What do you mean, dangerous?” “We want to see snakes, and jaguars, and sloths, and piranhas and stuff. Like a total-immersion kind of thing. You think you can help us out with that?” “Let me see what I can do sir.” “Oh yeah, do you think it’s wheelchair accessible?” “I’ll see what I can do.”…
Karen and I bantered back and forth nervously as we made the long walk from the bike/ run transition area down a steep ramp leading to the vast sandy beach along the Rio Negro. “Should I wear my wetsuit? The other girls are wearing wetsuits. But then again, they’re FROM this place, and acclimated to this heat. Perhaps I should skip it? I don’t want to overheat, but I don’t want to sacrifice speed. Let’s check out the water temp and decide from there.” Karen held my hand as we made our way down the complicated slats of carpet-covered plywood…
Join me tomorrow November 6th for my final Wine Dinner of the Year to Benefit the Talking Information Center for the Blind in Scituate Mass. Details attached! TICWineInvitation_2014 (1) (1)
