AdaptX Podcast
by AdaptX
Amplifying the voice and ideas of individuals who are building accessible business or products, advocating for inclusion, or excelling in adaptive sports.
Podcast episodes
#052 - Boston Strong: A Conversation with Jeff Bauman and Marc Fucarile
In this episode, Marc Fucarile and Jeff Bauman join Brendan Aylward for a live recording to discuss their experiences in inclusive fitness and the ways that the Boston Marathon bombings have affected both of their lives. As survivors of the 2013 Marathon bombings, Marc and Jeff’s introduction to the adaptive fitness world and disability advocacy was heavily influenced by the events of April 15th. Throughout the episode, they discuss their experiences as amputees, recovery journeys, the support they received, and the way that fitness came back into their lives post-injury. Marc shares his work with his platform “the Marc Network”, which is a valuable resource for connecting individuals with disabilities to adaptive sports and other support services. Additionally, Marc, Jeff, and Brendan cover some of the socioeconomic challenges associated with having a disability, including the costs of adaptive equipment and the need for financial accessibility. To learn more about Marc and Jeff and their individual endeavors, visit their websites linked below. Marc Fucarile’s website at https://marcfucarile.com/. Read Stronger by Jeff Bauman at https://a.co/d/3dId7Kh. Jeff Bauman’s Story by Boston Medical Center at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bL8t4KGpLTo. Episode 52 Takeaways The Marc Network and the Remarcable Foundations, created by Marc Fucarile, are valuable platforms for connecting individuals with disabilities to adaptive sports, equipment, and other disability support services. The Boston Marathon bombings brought attention to the resilience and strength of survivors and first responders, highlighting the necessity of empathy and action through traumatic experiences and recovery. The support and generosity of the Boston community have been instrumental in Marc and Jeff’s recovery and the well-being of other survivors. Adaptive sports are a valuable and empowering activity for individuals with disabilities, providing physical and emotional benefits. The cost of adaptive equipment can be a significant barrier to inclusive participation, and financial accessibility is crucial for individuals to participate in adaptive sports. Finding supportive organizations and communities is essential for individuals with disabilities to connect, participate, and thrive after injury, during recovery, and throughout the rest of their lives. Episode 52 Chapters 02:05 - Experiences with the Boston Marathon Bombings and Recovery 7:57 - Powerful Acts of Kindness on April 15th, 2013 8:55 - Forming Relationships with Veteran Amputees 10:11 - The Role of Media in Tragedy 11:26 - The Boston Strong Movement 13:33 - Marc’s Story 15:00 - “Stronger” and Advocacy 16:27 - Life After the 2013 Marathon 19:02 - Jeff and Marc’s Intro to Adaptive Sports 19:35 - The Evolution of Disability Resources 22:00 - The Marc Network and Essential Resources 27:13 - Resolution Fitness: AdaptX Podcast’s First Show Sponsor 27:35 - The Role of Adaptive Sports in Recovering from a Traumatic Injury 34:05 - Expansion of Adaptive Sports 38:25 - The Challenge of Learning Adaptive Sport 39:45 - Overcoming Financial Barriers in Adaptive Sports 42:05 - The Marc Network’s Role in Mitigating Financial Barriers 45:00 - Children's Perception of Disability 50:57 - Supporting a Family Member Through Recovery 53:55 Finding Supportive Organizations and Communities
#051- Building an Inclusive Remote Training Platform with Lee-Anne Reuber of Sekond Skin Society
Sekond Skin Society is a health and fitness app designed around accessibility, creating an inclusive experience for people with and without disabilities to work out together. In this episode, Brendan is joined by Lee-Anne Reuber, the company’s founder, as she takes us through the company’s start as a brick and mortar yoga studio and transition to a virtual platform. Lee-Anne reflects on her entry into the inclusive fitness space after receiving feedback from members who loved seated class and accessible workout options. Inclusion, to Lee-Anne, means creating a safe space where people feel a sense of belonging and where the environment is already created with them in mind. The fitness industry plays a large role in valuing bodies, and Sekond Skin Society aims to disrupt that space by including people with disabilities. Throughout their conversation, Brendan and Lee-Anne discuss their goals in creating an inclusive and accessible fitness platform for people of all abilities. Sekond Skin Society is focused on providing a community forum for members to connect with each other and share their experiences. The app will offer a variety of classes, including yoga, dance, cardio, strength training, and meditation. All classes will be on-demand to accommodate the convenience of members and the capacity of instructors. The app will utilize features such as captions, enhanced queuing, and American Sign Language to make the instruction more accessible. Sekond Skin Society is currently in beta testing and actively seeking feedback to improve their platform. To learn more, visit the Sekond Skin website linked here: https://www.sekondskinsociety.com/ Episode 51 Takeaways Within the fitness realm, where bodies are often valorized, there exists a pressing demand for broader inclusivity, particularly concerning individuals with disabilities. Sekond Skin Society challenges the status quo within the fitness industry, striving to amplify the representation of individuals with disabilities in both fitness marketing and instructor roles. Central to its mission, Sekond Skin Society aims to forge an all-encompassing and accessible fitness platform catering to individuals of diverse abilities. Through this platform, members are afforded a community forum, facilitating connections and the exchange of experiences. The app boasts a diverse array of classes, ranging from yoga and dance to cardio, strength training, and meditation, all available on-demand. To ensure utmost accessibility, Sekond Skin Society incorporates features such as captions, enhanced queuing, and American Sign Language, thereby enriching the instructional experience for all users. Sekond Skin Society is currently in beta testing and actively seeking feedback to improve their platform. Episode 51 Chapters 00:00 - Introduction to Sekond Skin Society and its Founder 00:27 - What is Sekond Skin? 05:35 - A Sense of Belonging in Fitness 06:35 - Marketing Fitness to People with Disabilities 15:19 - Advantages of Virtual and Remote Fitness 29:24 - Creating Community in a Remote Offering 50:05 - Lack of Representation and Inclusion 56:25 - Creating Space for Inclusion and Representation
#050- 2024 Boston Marathon Recap with Duo, Shamus and Shaun Evans
Shaun and Shamus Evans, a father-son team from Galway, New York, are ardent advocates for inclusivity and accessibility in endurance sports. As a power wheelchair user with cerebral palsy, Shamus has forged an impressive athletic journey alongside his father, Shaun, logging thousands of miles and partaking in numerous races. Notably, they completed their inaugural Boston Marathon this past Monday after achieving a remarkable qualifying time of 02:59:00. Their philanthropic spirit is evident in their participation in two transcontinental runs, during which they generously donated specialized running chairs to other individuals with disabilities.. They champion the synergy of inclusivity and competitiveness, aspiring for greater recognition of duo divisions in other endurance races and athletic competitions. In this conversation, Brendan, Shamus, and Shaun discuss their Boston Marathon experiences, the invaluable role of family support, and their collaboration with Ainsley's Angels, an organization facilitating partnerships between able-bodied runners and individuals with disabilities. They also share their aspirations for the future and their dedication to effecting positive change within their community. Episode 50 Takeaways Shaun and Shamus recently ran their first Boston Marathon together after qualifying with a time of 02:59:00. The duo has completed two transcontinental runs, during which they donated running chairs to children with disabilities. They believe that inclusivity and competitiveness can coexist, and hope to see more recognition for duo divisions in races. Shaun and Shamus are involved with Ainsley's Angels, an organization that promotes inclusion in endurance sports. They have future goals of continuing to participate in races and making their community more inclusive. Their book, available on Amazon and AinsleysAngels.org, shares their story and supports Ainsley's Angels. Episode 50 Chapters 00:00- Introduction: Shaun and Shamus Evans 08:17- The Power of Positivity and Perseverance 14:57- Inclusivity and Competitiveness: A Winning Combination 29:42- Ainsley's Angels: Promoting Inclusion 36:05- The Boston Marathon Experience 42:09- Closing Remarks and Congratulations
#049- Q&A with the Houston Marathon Team
In this episode, Brendan is joined by Amanda Sandoval and Bernie Tretta from the Houston Marathon to discuss the inclusion of athletes with disabilities in the race. They share the initial reservations and safety considerations they had when implementing inclusive practices in the race, as well as the education and training provided to volunteers and athletes. They highlight the importance of feedback from athletes and the efforts made to accommodate their needs. The discussion also covers the accessibility of the course, partnerships with disability organizations, and the memorable moments and success stories from the race. The conversation concludes with suggestions for race directors to make their events more inclusive. For more information on the Houston Marathon and to get involved, visit the Houston Marathon Website linked here: https://www.chevronhoustonmarathon.com/ Episode 49 Takeaways Actively listen to the needs and feedback of athletes with disabilities to ensure their voices are heard and respected in all aspects of athletic events. Prioritize creating channels for open communication and feedback loops to continuously improve inclusivity and accommodation. Offer comprehensive education and training programs for both volunteers and athletes to increase awareness and understanding of disabilities. Provide resources and workshops to equip volunteers with the necessary skills and knowledge to facilitate inclusive participation. Prioritize safety measures that cater to the diverse needs of participants, including emergency procedures tailored to different abilities. Forge strategic partnerships with disability organizations to leverage their expertise and resources in promoting inclusivity. Embrace a culture of knowledge-sharing by actively seeking insights and best practices from other races and events. Proactively reach out to athletes with disabilities and create welcoming environments that prioritize their participation. Implement inclusive registration processes and accommodation options to ensure all athletes feel valued and supported in their athletic pursuits. Episode 49 Chapters 00:00 - Introduction and Background 01:07 - Inclusion of Athletes with Disabilities in the Houston Marathon 02:28 - Biggest Safety Considerations 03:25 - Education and Training for Volunteers and Athletes 04:25 - Bike Guides for Wheelchair and Hand Cycle Athletes 05:14 - Feedback and Insight from Athletes with Disabilities 06:33 - Registration and Accommodations 08:15 - Expansion of Categories and Future Inclusion 10:42 - Memorable Moments and Success Stories 13:14 - Course Accessibility and Safety Measures 17:45 - Facilities and Accessibility Details 22:40 - Volunteer Roles and Support for Athletes 23:12 - Favorite Moments and Emotional Highlights 26:21 - Comparison to Other Inclusive Marathons 28:07 - Steps for Race Directors to Make Events More Inclusive 33:30 - Importance of Communication and Learning from Other Races
#048- Creating Accessible Travel Experiences with Kristin Secor
Kristin Secor was born with a rare form of Muscular Dystrophy which affects her strength, endurance, balance, and breathing. Despite her physical challenges, she continues to pursue her love of travel and has explored 20 countries across 4 continents, including Antarctica. Now she uses her knowledge to help others with mobility challenges to travel to their dream destinations through the information and resources she provides on her wheelchair-accessible travel blog, World on Wheels Blog. In this episode, Kristin shares her passion for travel and how she overcomes challenges to explore the world with host, Brendan Aylward. She discusses accessible countries and the importance of advocating for accessibility in places that lack regulations. Kristin also emphasizes the need for individuals to take responsibility for their own travel experiences and educate businesses on accessibility. She provides insights into her planning process for accessible travel and highlights the barriers and concerns she faces in air travel. Kristin's goal is to create opportunities for people with disabilities to travel to bucket list destinations and make travel more affordable and accessible for all. Learn more about accessible travel and tourism by tuning into this episode. Visit World on Wheels to learn more about accessible travel and Kristin’s endeavors: https://worldonwheelsblog.com/ Episode 48 Takeaways It is important to ask specific questions and make detailed requests in relation to accessibility accommodations, as standards for accessibility vary from location to location. Advocacy and education are essential to improve accessibility in countries without regulations. Individuals have a responsibility to advocate for themselves and educate businesses on accessibility. Planning ahead and taking precautions can help ensure a smooth and enjoyable travel experience for people with disabilities. Episode 48 Chapters 00:00 - Introduction 00:23 - Kristin's Passion for Travel 01:20 - Transition to Blogging 01:39 - Challenges with Muscular Dystrophy 03:28 - First Trip that Ignited Kristin's Love for Travel 04:30 - Accessible Countries 05:57 - Traveling to Inaccessible Places 06:42 - Responsibility of Individuals and Businesses 08:06 - Planning Process for Accessible Travel 10:20 - Barriers and Concerns in Air Travel 11:32 - Trip to Antarctica 13:22 - Importance of Fitness for Travel 15:07 - Etiquette and Language 16:38 - Goals for Travel and Blog 21:02 - Where to Find Kristin's Blog and Trips 21:35 - Inclusivity of Trips