Page 15 - Sports Energy News, Cornwall, Issue No 53

www.sportsenergynews.com Issue #53 April 2017 15
April 2017

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Shawn Maloney Faces Challenges With Positive Outlook

By Molly Kett and they are all ready to help out if
I’m trying to find something in the
hirty-four-year-old Shawn gym. What seemed like a big deal
TMaloney was born and raised for the first few training sessions is
in the Cornwall area. Maloney has now ‘normal’ when I go to train.”
a passion for athletics, which he Presently, Maloney’s athletic focus
participates in despite his blinding
is CrossFit, though he soon plans to
eye disease known as retinitis get back into distance running. “I
pigmentosa.
was recently challenged by some
“It is a condition I was diagnosed family members to train for a
with when I was 5 years old. The marathon with them; however, I will
disease led to progressive loss of likely dial it back to a half-marathon
peripheral and night vision during instead. I’m also looking to get
my teens and twenties, and in recent into rock climbing, so I will see if
years it has led to loss of central that goal materializes in the months
vision as well,” says Maloney. “My ahead,” says Maloney. “Truly, my
right eye is totally blind, while my goals change frequently, and they
left eye is legally blind, meaning I often depend on challenges that have
have some limited vision, enough to been put forth by family members or
see shapes and shadows and to read Whilst doing all this hard work, for such an event using a treadmill. friends. Training for long-distance
large print high contrast text. My left Maloney also learned how to work Thus, I ended up finding a handful running events is just one example.
eye will naturally go totally blind like around his disability in order to of running partners through Kijiji, At present, I’m just focusing on
my right eye, most likely within the accomplish his athletic goals. and I worked with these partners improving my overall athleticism so
next 1-2 years.” to get in the training that I needed.
“The first thing I need to do is to that I can be prepared for whatever
This condition, though, hasn’t inform people around me, coaches, These individuals were happy to be challenges and crazy fitness bets
my ‘running guides’ in part because
stopped Maloney from following his team members, and partners about come my way.”
I was frequently available to train,
goals, especially in terms of athletics any specific needs I have. It’s also Though Maloney has to constantly
and academics. important that I realize that there which meant that they had someone
to run with as well.” adapt to the world around him due
are millions of people around the
In 2001, Maloney went to Queens to his eyesight, he remains a force
University to work as the student world who are afflicted by an array When Maloney moved back to of positivity for everyone who may
therapist through the athletic therapy of blinding eye diseases, and that Cornwall, he decided to continue be struggling. “For anyone who
many of these people have learned with his passion for athletics and join
department for the men’s varsity has any form of challenge, physical,
basketball team. Later, Maloney how to adapt their lives, including CrossFit. mental, emotional, or otherwise,
their athletic pursuits, as needed,”
went on to study his own eye disease “The first thing I did when I started it’s important to keep in mind that
as a medical researcher for about ten says Maloney. “Thus, I don’t need was to inform my coach, Amanda, everyone has their mountains to
years at McGill University, with some to always reinvent the wheel. I can that I was visually impaired. Like any climb,” says Maloney. “Life is
see what is working for someone else
training at Harvard University during good coach, Amanda quickly helped simply more fun when you view your
his Masters Degree training. During and try that myself.” me adapt specific exercises so that challenges as minor inconveniences
this time, he also launched a small A few years ago, when Maloney they would be safer and feasible,” rather than formidable obstacles, and
internet-based start-up company that was training to run a marathon, he shares Maloney. “Similarly, the other in most cases we have the freedom
he recently sold. He moved back to put this tactic into action. “I knew members of CrossFit who I frequently to choose which perspective we will
Cornwall in April 2016. that I could not adequately train train with are aware of my condition, adopt.”
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