Motivating the masses

Truckee resident Candace Cable, a paraplegic athlete and motivational speaker known for her accolades wheelchair racing and cross-country skiing, is holding a presentation Saturday at 6 p.m. in the Truckee Donner Public Utility District building.Cable’s Powerpoint slide show, called “Choosing Victory,” is about 35 minutes in duration and is free to the public, she said.”The presentation is about who I am and the opportunities I’ve had in my life and skills I’ve learned to cope with challenges of life,” said Cable, who turns 51 on Friday.
“The community has been real supportive and so I want to update everyone,” she added. “It’s about thanking the community for all the encouragement and support that they’ve given me, and an opportunity to get to know each other a little better.”Much of the community support Cable is referring to came last fall before and after the Hawaiian Ironman Triathlon World Championships on Oct. 16, where she became the first woman with a spinal cord injury to qualify for what is considered to be the toughest one-day race in all of sports. Cable was forced to withdraw from the grueling race – which is comprised of a 2.4-mile ocean swim, a 112-mile bike ride and a 26.2-mile run – in the 95th mile of the bike portion because the mandatory cutoff time elapsed.But Cable, who works as an office manager for Truckee chiropractor Phil Ravinale, is not one to throw in the towel.
“Next year,” Cable told the Sun after she arrived back in Truckee. “I’ll be back next year.”Unfortunately, while gearing for her second shot at the Hawaiian Ironman, bad fortune struck when she suffered a concussion and bodily injuries in an April skiing accident. With her injuries lingering for a couple months, Cable said, she missed the June Ironman qualifier. She’s back on track now, though, and is training for the 2006 Winter Paralympics.
But Cable’s presentation will not be all about her.”A lot of people with physical disabilities don’t realize that they have a lot of options with the adaptive equipment we have now a days,” Cable said. “The equipment has gotten better and better, and I want people to know that they can get out and access the outdoors.”
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