Paul Martin

At first, I felt pressure to be a role model after I made a bad choice and lost my leg. Now, I understand that I am worthy of it and try to use it to empower others. I don't feel too much pressure from it and feel like I am making something good out of my situation.
 
Transcript: "Do I enjoy being a role model? And I feel like a lot of pressure. That certainly has has evolved over the years and the early years it was a little bit difficult you know I had a I lost my leg as a result doing some stupid. Had a couple beers fell asleep at the wheel after dinner, not smart. Did I pay the right price for it? Maybe maybe not didn't get anything legal trouble. Thankfully, But my role model after after this, you know, it's bad choice. I made. Why am I a role model? Early on. It didn't sit so well. But you know, what time I realized I was I made mistakes. And he just marched forward and I made something good out of my situation despite of what created my situation. I'm an amputee. What do I do with it? I go out there and I trained my ass off and I beat as many people as possible to legged freaks or not and people look up to me for that little bit of imposter syndrome. At first I go out, you know, why am I worthy of talking? This little kid and fifth grade about, you know, what his future can be like, you know, as he's been born with one leg. Come to realize yeah, I'm worthy of it. This position is role model. I do what I can with it. I am not perfect. I don't want everybody. I don't want everybody to live live their life. The way I do certain aspects of my life, people can get benefit from. I don't feel a lot of pressure from it. I am who I am good in the bed if some parts of what I do makes you feel empowered. Maybe you can get out there and do. Ooh, that to awesome. Awesome."

Paul Martin is a left leg below the knee amputee who has competed in several US teams, such as Triathlon cycling Alpine, skiing ice hockey and cyclocross. He also holds the world record for Ironman and won the World Championships in cycling in 2002. He has raced around the world and achieved many successes.
 
Transcript: "Hi, my name's Paul Martin. I'm a left leg below the knee, amputee as a result of a car accident 1992. I've since competed on several u.s. teams including Triathlon cycling Alpine, skiing ice hockey and I still do all those things cyclocross. Competitive crossfitter not quite as active as I used to be, but I've been around the block a few times on a lot of races 10-time Ironman finisher held the world record there. A little while won the World Championships in cycling in 2002, won some medals and in Athens on the track cycling competed in, Sydney as well. Yeah, I've been around. I've been around the world race, a lot. Seen a lot done a lot happening at your questions and whatever you got going on. Let me know. Thanks."

Being a professional adaptive sports athlete is extremely difficult. There is not much prize money involved and it can be hard to come by sponsorships, so many athletes resort to part-time jobs or Couchsurfing while they travel and compete. They also often have to market themselves heavily as motivational speakers in order to make some extra money.
 
Transcript: "What is it like being involved in adaptive Sports as a professional? That question is is borderline oxymoronic? Because I don't know if things have changed you know I haven't really been involved in the Paralympics in 15 years or so as a it's a paralympian still keep competing as an athlete. But, you know, back when I was full time training, it was, it was very hard to make any money doing this. I mean, there was sponsors were tough to come by a few people at the top of the game. Got them got sponsors. Some sort of money coming in, most people work some sort of job or they were, you know, younger kids, the younger individuals that were still living at home. Didn't have a ton of expenses. I know I made it. I made it by by scrounging for money and funds and Couchsurfing and, and just the very Bare Bones lifestyle other than traveling the world and racing. But you know, happen Miss weddings, I didn't ever go out to eat. It was just whatever my sponsors events. I might You know, the Hartford was really good to me for a long time. The hardware, they were parallel to sponsor, I was one of their main, their main guys, and I did a lot of work with them, and once they kind of onboard, it was all. It was a lot easier for me, and I did a lot of speaking gigs of schools, you know, I marketed myself heavily as a motivational speaker to middle schools and high schools that brought some money. And I was fortunate to have a few sponsors with. With media incentives. Particular my leg company officer at the time. I was, I wrote a book and getting out there promoting the book 20 years ago, getting on local television stations, talking about the feet and I bring up 56 feet on. On the, on the sends it to the studio with me and show them off to talk about them and get 1,000 bucks. You know, every couple of weeks for that, maybe it was just tough to pay the bills and make it all happen. But I was frankly, I don't even, I can't even think of somebody else that was quite in my Listen, I was in my 30s. I quit my job. I just was full-time, full-time competition, full-time training. I had a couple of part-time jobs here and there waiting tables and this and that but essentially no money, just training and racing and to me that was Pro because I was what I did. I raced hope for some money coming in here. And there, there was no prize money to speak of hardly anything. At all. It was all about, you know, how can you find some money on the side when you're turning 25? 30? I was weakened and rest of the bunch. So it was a tough life style, be honest with you,"

My favorite win was at the 2002 Para Cycling World Championships, where I won the time trial and set a world record for my disability.
 
Transcript: "What was my favorite win in my career? Two answers to that Tim will appreciate this first one Ironman Coeur, d'Alene 2005. I raced, I don't think there was a physically challenged or PC Division. I was just racing, if I recall correctly and 1009 17 it was a it was a good day all around. Good swim. Goodbye could run. I can finish that. I think it was 89th out of around 2,000. Athletes set a new world record for people with my disability, my category, it's kind of an unofficial world record since there's not they're not really kept in Iron Man but we all know who's doing what out there in our in our particular disabilities. So that was a good day, wasn't even sore the next day, you know. So I was kind of well prepared Then the first, the best real win for me. Favorite real win, 2002 para cycling World Championships. I won the time trial. It was a good day, just a good day."

My favorite Paralympic event was Sydney in 2000, because it was my first time experiencing such a big event and I was overwhelmed with people who wanted my autograph.
 
Transcript: "Which a paralympic event was my favorite. I went to to I went to Sydney in 2000 and Athens in 2004 I'd say Sydney was probably my favorite just because it was the first time experiencing this type of event. This big, you know that many people that many fans, the media, the whole the whole thing was just was, was great, A great experience and kind of one. One moment in particular I think we really Stuck out really made it special. I mean, my, my buddy on the team, Al machine, the machine he and I were just, you know, day one or two in Sydney, we were just rolling around our bikes, loosen up our legs, checking out the stadium, the venues that the scene and we were overwhelmed with people from all over the world, looking for our autograph, you know, sticking their nose pads, their signature cards, whatever they happen to have thrusting in our face asking for fraud. Graphs and me now, like, all right, we're just two dudes. Nobody knows out riding their bikes and everybody wants an autograph way. Cool, like how did this happen? What are we doing? And who are we? We're doing something apparently because people thought it was worth getting our autograph. So really cool stuff."

I'm proud of the quote-unquote "insult" where people say that I look bigger and taller on TV or in photographs because it shows that I have accomplished something that requires power, which my smaller than average frame provides.
 
Transcript: "What quote-unquote insult, am I most proud of? While that a occurs quite regularly in the world of politics in my world. I think the best example is many cases, I've shown up to meet folks for interviews or whatever it might be and they say, oh you look so much bigger and taller on TV or in photographs and so I'm proud of it. Because, yeah, they just presume because of the things that I've that I've accomplished that, I think I'm bigger and stronger and, you know, to be that power Awful on the bike or whatever the event might be, you need some some sighs. Well, my smaller than average frame provides the power I need and require and I'm proud of that."