Michelle Stillwell

 

1. How did you get involved in wheelchair racing?
It was while I was teaching at a coaching clinic for wheelchair basketball in 2004 that I met Peter Lawless who is one of the national team coaches for track. Peter encouraged me to try out racing and the rest is history.

2. What is your training schedule like?
My training schedule varies in intensity depending on what my competition schedule looks like. Leading up to the Beijing games I was training at a very high level six days a week.

3. How do you balance being a mom and a professional athlete?
Thankfully I have tremendous encouragement from my family and friends who have provided incredible support as I pursued my athletic goals. It’s a challenge being away from my family when I travel to competitions so I always ensure I balance it with time spent with my husband Mark and son Kai at home or have them on the trips with me when possible. Really I just have to be extraordinarily organized.

4. What‘s next for you?
I plan to take some time to relax and reflect on my experience in Beijing and spend some quality time with my family. I have some upcoming speaking opportunities that I’m excited to do and I’m also working with the BC government for the ‘10 by 10 Initiative’ aimed at increasing the number of individuals with a disability in the workforce by 10 per cent by 2010. This year I will also change my focus in racing by competing in a marathon.

5. What do you miss about living on the Prairies?
Manitoba summers sipping on Slurpees at all the summer festivals.

6. Your favorite place to return to when you’re in Winnipeg?
Mom and Dad’s house for some good home cooked meals and TLC.

7. How do you plan on spending the holidays?
Christmas is always at my house. It is my favorite holiday where family and friends come together. I decorate the house to the extreme and do all the cooking and preparing.

8. Winning three gold medals at the Paralympics is certainly an achievement to be very proud of – what do you consider your greatest achievement?
I feel truly blessed to have been able to compete in the Paralympics, but I feel that the greatest satisfaction has come with the journey. My greatest achievement is creating my family. Paralympic medals, university degrees and gainful employment just can’t compare. Family is an ongoing accomplishment that requires me to give of myself unconditionally, but the return I get back comes at a multiple that is beyond measure.

9. You have a very positive outlook on life – what keeps you motivated?
Knowing that every second counts in life. We all have hopes and dreams; sometimes we do not define those hopes and dreams until we have obstacles to face. A person who has been told they have a life changing illness suddenly has a new perspective on life and makes all these great plans of what they want to accomplish and how to do it. Often times it can be too late. I won’t wait to fulfill my dreams.

10. What message do you have for budding athletes?
There are no limitations to what you can do. You just need to believe anything is possible. We all face obstacles every single day but we have to have courage to try. We all have that ability. We all have that power. We create our own path with the choices and decisions we make in our lives.