What It’s Like to Prepare for the Paralympics !

Paralympians Allysa Seely and Oz Sanchez share how they overcame unique challenges during the COVID-19 pandemic to continue training for the Summer Paralympics in Tokyo.

Elite paratriathlete Allysa Seely (pictured above) trains for the Summer Paralympics in Tokyo. Image courtesy of Christopher Anderson
Like many of us, elite paratriathlete Allysa Seely describes the experience of living through a pandemic as being on “a roller coaster.”

“One day I’m like, ‘I got this, I’m calm, I’m cool, I’m collected,’ and then, ‘Oh my God, what is happening?’” Seely told Healthline when reflecting back on the events of the past year.

Just as with everyone else, Seely’s day-to-day life was turned upside down by the disorienting changes brought about by COVID-19, from mask wearing and physical distancing to the isolation of sheltering in place. Beyond that, she had to contend with challenges unique to a select few.

Seely was set to compete in the Summer Paralympics last year when the pandemic put those plans on hold, pushing the international sporting event — along with the Olympics, also in Tokyo — a full year later.

She called the pandemic something of a test in “learning how to practice controlling what I can and not stressing about everything else, really focusing on my health, both mental and physical.”

It’s sage advice, especially for those in the United States who are starting to contend with a post-pandemic reality as vaccinations increase.

“No matter if it’s physiological or psychological, they are tied together. Our stress impacts our physiological well-being,” said Allysa Seely (above). Image courtesy of Christopher Anderson
Training during a pandemic
Athletes who compete on major international stages like the Paralympics spend their lives getting ready to perform under that kind of spotlight.

The dedication, diligence, and adherence to particular routines and training regimens required to reach that level of athletic competition can certainly be put to the test due to the unpredictable curveballs thrown by a pandemic.

Seely, who along with six other Paralympians and Olympians is partnering with the U.S. Olympic & Paralympic Committee (USOPC) sponsor Eli Lilly as a “Team Lilly” spokesperson, said there really is no “guidebook” for approaching the changes to one’s training regimen caused by COVID-19.

A gold medalist at the Rio Games in 2016 (a historic first as the triathlon sport made its Paralympics debut that year), Seely said she was constantly “checking in” with her mind and body as she responded to the stresses of the pandemic.

At one point when everything felt overwhelming, she said she emailed her coach and asked for 4 weeks off from “strict training.”

Seely recounted that she promised she would still work out and continue to train for the sport she loves, but needed to take time to go easy on herself and “find joy” during a period when she couldn’t see friends and family or travel to competitions.

“I said ‘OK, I need to go back to my roots, I need to go back to what I love,’ and that was getting out in the mountains and exploring, getting out in the dirt roads and trails, and getting on my bike with no plan and seeing where I end up,” Seely explained.

The change in routine and away from the Paralympics grind did her well.

After 4 weeks, Seely came back to regular training, and said her coach was impressed at how much that time away helped.

“It was fantastic and it was what I needed in the moment, and I’m glad I was able to listen to myself and my body and how best to approach a wholesome and healthy life,” Seely added.

Paracyclist Oz Sanchez, a six-time medalist for Team USA in the Paralympics, had a completely different experience. Sanchez is a veteran who served in the Marines. He’s no stranger to the rigors of self-discipline and performing against incredible odds.

Sanchez told Healthline that he was already in the “social distancing” and “personal quarantining” mindset even before COVID-19, because he was doing his best to prepare for the gauntlet of the Tokyo Games.

“It’s been unprecedented times, new norms and COVID-19 and the fallout of the postponement of the games, all that have undoubtedly thrown a wrench into people’s systems,” said Sanchez, who is also a Team Lilly spokesperson. “One thing I had in my corner was my experience of 6 years with the Marine Corps in preparation for two deployments.”

Sanchez said his special operations training, and traveling overseas for long stretches of time away from family and friends, prepared him to “unplug from society.” That background perhaps made him better suited than anyone for the events of the past year.

“Once the pandemic started, because of that background, it was a relatively easy transition,” he added.

Sanchez stressed that he did not want to minimize just how disruptive and damaging COVID-19 has been to people throughout the United States and around the world.

He doesn’t take for granted his unique background that makes him well primed for crisis as well as the solitary nature of his sport.

Sanchez is a road cyclist. He trains for long stretches alone out on the road. In some ways, the pandemic made this easier.

“Suddenly you have 80 percent less traffic on the roads, so that was a benefit, just from the cyclist’s perspective,” he added.

That being said, there was one life change that offered more of an abrupt shift to his training regimen than the pandemic: fatherhood.

Sanchez and his wife found out they were expecting a baby boy, whose birth would have fallen right at the originally scheduled Paralympic opening ceremony.

“The games sort of flipped those schedules around, so I was here for my son’s birth and, obviously, if all goes according to plan with the Tokyo ceremonies, it will all be a blessing in disguise for me,” he said.