Age: 55
Bio
Peter is an avid runner and triathlete who also enjoys hot yoga. He works for the Canadian Government and lost his sight, in its entirety when he was a teenager. Never one to slow down, Peter often embarks on long distance bike rides and solo camping trips. He also competed in the Canadian National Championships in 1989 and 1991 in 100 200 400 and 800 m sprint’s.
When did your athletic career begin?
My athletic career began in my mid-twenties. Following graduation from university I had the time to start working out and that’s when I discovered the resources to start getting into sports and athletics. Those resources were important because as a visually impaired person they were not available to me earlier in my life, for example in high school or even university.
What adversity have you had to overcome as an athlete?
Adversity is always associated with needing additional resources; for example, I would love to be able to jump in a car drive to the Gatineau Hills and do a hill work out for an hour or two. Of Course that’s not possible so I always have to be looking for guides etc. to help out with that part.
How has working out impacted your life?
Working out has impacted my life immensely. It keeps me physically and mentally alert. For me it’s as much about my mental and emotional well-being as it is physical fitness.
How often do you train and for how long?
I usually work out 2 to 3 times a week two hours each time.
What is your number #1 fitness tip?
My number one fitness Tip is about balance. Balancing workouts with nutrition in order to help with overall fitness as well as injury prevention which is very important at the moment. The workout part is easy as I find I just need to push myself. The nutrition part is more difficult and learning how to balance healthy eating with the food I may enjoy the most. For example, avoiding lots of chicken and beef because for me that leads to lots of weight gain so that means more reliance on plant-based nutrition. That is my best diet but requires a lot more preparation and eating more often.
I just recently joined The Tandem Project. This is a national organisation with ties to the U. S. As well I believe. The idea is to give blind and visually impaired athletes opportunities to compete mainly in triathlons. Through TTP as well, and establishing a network of other people and getting access to other events.
