{"version":1,"type":"rich","provider_name":"Libsyn","provider_url":"https:\/\/www.libsyn.com","height":90,"width":600,"title":"59 | Paralympic Medalist and Swimmer Mallory Weggemann: Now Doesn\u2019t Define You","description":"\u201cI had the two black lines in my life, I had the black line that trailed the pages of my journal, and I had the black line that trails the bottom of a pool. And both gave me that place to be, that place to process, to grieve. I found the ability\u2014with swimming specifically\u2014to bridge my past to my present and lead me toward something in my future and allow me to understand that life was bigger than the moment I was facing. Swimming, in a lot of ways, brought me back to life.\u201d   Though she\u2019d grown up in the water, Mallory Weggemann was nearly ready to leave competition behind for other dreams. But when a medical procedure gone wrong resulted in her paralysis at age 18, she found herself back in the pool. There, she regained her strength and confidence\u2014and excelled swiftly enough to win Paralympic gold four years later in London.   She had every intention of blazing forward with her athletic career and defending her gold in Rio. In 2014, though, she suffered another severe setback. At this second point of impact, she had to decide all over again why she swam, and whether it was worth the fight.   In this week\u2019s episode\u2014and her fantastic new book, Limitless: The Power of Hope and Resilience to Overcome Circumstance\u2014the soon-to-be three-time Paralympian explains exactly why she didn\u2019t give in, and all the teamwork, support, and strength it took to work her way back to the black line that made her feel at home.   A huge thank you to our sponsor for this episode: Fluid Running. Fluid Running makes it possible to maintain your peak physical fitness even when you're injured through the power of deep water running. Listen for a special discount code in the episode!   In this episode, we discuss: What the process of writing her book was like (5:56) Why, and how, she kept a journal over the years\u2014and the benefits it brought her (8:48) What she means by \u201csudden moment of impact\u201d (13:01) Her second injury, in 2014, and why it was even more challenging to recover from emotionally than the one that led to her paralysis (16:28) Why she had to stop comparing her current self to her past self, and how she did it (21:25) How she used visualization both to preserve her mental health during a dark time and prepare when she returned to competition (30:03) The reality of medical flashbacks, and how she copes with them (34:15) \u201cI can do it\u201d vs. \u201cWe can do it,\u201d and the balance of community and independence (37:06) How she\u2019s come to see the gifts her experiences have brought her (41:54) The big realization that we can feel two things at once (44:20) Her final words of wisdom for injured athletes and others facing setbacks (51:57)   You can subscribe to The Injured Athletes Club on Spotify, Stitcher, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts, and if you like what you hear, please leave us a rating or a review in Apple podcasts. That helps other injured athletes find the show.   Resources\/links: Mallory\u2019s website, Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook  Her book Limitless: The Power of Hope and Resilience to Overcome Circumstance   To access more resources for injured athletes: Join The Injured Athletes Club mailing list, for news and updates Join The Injured Athletes Club Facebook group, for support and camaraderie Like The Injured Athletes Club Podcast Facebook page, for the latest episodes Email us at hello@injuredathletesclub.com with questions, guest suggestions, or other feedback   DISCLAIMER: This content is for educational & informational use only and & does not constitute medical advice. Do not disregard, avoid or delay obtaining medical or health related advice from your health-care professional because of something you may have heard in an episode of this podcast. You should not rely on this information as a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Please consult with a qualified medical professional for proper evaluation & treatment. Guests who speak on this podcast express their own opinions, experiences, and conclusions, and The Injured Athletes Club podcast hosts nor any company providing financial support endorses or opposes any particular treatment option discussed in the episodes of this podcast and are not responsible for any actions or inactions of listeners based on the information presented. The use of any information provided is solely at your own risk. ","author_name":"The Injured Athletes Club","author_url":"http:\/\/www.injuredathletesclub.com","html":"