-All right.
-Let's go!



-Glasses.



In.
-Ready?



-Yep.
-Go.



-In.
-In.



-All right.
We'll bring the speed up.



-Good?
-A little bit, yep.



So...



When we will need to go faster,



to pull more power,
I'll say: "More".



-OK.



-When we need to slow down,



"less" or "ease up",



slowing before intersections,



"stopping" if we need to stop.



-Maybe about
a 100 m before a turn,



just let me know.



-Yeah, sounds good.



-In time trials,



we used to have "100 left"



for 100 m before a left turn.



Standing.



I'll give a countdown.
-Sounds good, yeah.



And then "up."
-Two, one, up.



-Let's go.
-And down.



-It's windy,
so make sure I hear "down."



It'll be helpful.



-OK, so being loud enough?
-Yeah.



-Excellent.



Let's do this.
-All right!



Let's have some fun.



So my name is Shawna Ryan.



I'm 47 years old.



I'm from Saskatoon,
Saskatchewan.



I have an amazing
husband named Eric,



two beautiful kids,
Willow and Breah,



who are 9 and 11.



I've been able to participate



in two Paralympic Games in 2008



with the sport of goalball,



and in 2016



the joy of participating
as a para-cyclist



in the tandem category in Rio.



-My name is Joanie Caron.



I am 37 years old.
I am from Rimouski.



I participated in the Rio
paralympics games in 2016



as a tandem pilot.



I was a professional
cyclist for 15 years.



I now live in Vancouver



where I run a 
cycling training business 




which is called Altius Velo.



That's good,
we're feeling the beat.



-All right.



So, the journey
began in Tijuana, huh?



-Yep.
-Yes.



I remember getting the call



about four weeks
before a trip was needed



that Cycling Canada
was testing a new pilot.



And could I go
to meet her in California.



To meet...
it was between what,



40 kph and 41 kph time trial
for her to make the team?



And that was you.
-Yes!



I...



I was near the end, or...



Yeah, close to the end
of my individual cycling career.



I just had moved to Vancouver



and I was asked to be a pilot,



a tandem pilot,



but the requirement was for me



to execute that time standard.



And at this time of year,



the conditions were pretty cold



so we chose to go to California.



And then, we had the trial



done in Mexico, in Tijuana.



That was our first...



That was our
first race together.



-Yeah, and the first
time we'd ever met.



So I remember
meeting in a parking lot.



We had to get a bike.



I think I brought a bike.



And we met up
and we had to set up the bike,



which was
a learning curve in itself.



And then learn
to use the bike together



and learn to communicate
together all in one evening.



-Yeah.



The day after was the first
race, the first attempt.



We did not do it.



The second day early morning,



we went and executed,
made the standard.



And that was our first
time on the bike together.



First time for me as a pilot.



-Yeah, you did an amazing job.



And you know,
I think we saw



that we had a lot
of fun together as well.



-Yep, that was...



That was for sure
an eventful weekend.



That was a first.



That was at the end of 2014.



-Right.



-So a year
and a half before Rio.



And at the time,



you were with another
athlete as a pilot.



We did the first
part of the season



in different teams.



Well, you with a different pilot



and me as a pilot
for another athlete.



Until the Pan Am Games.



-And then we got to team up.
-Yeah.



-And that was the beginning



of our tandem ride together,



our tandem journey together.



And we were selected



to go to the 2015
Pan Am Games in Toronto.



And that was
a lot of fun, Pan Ams.



But we also had some challenges



because I had to go
through classification,



which means that I had to be
tested by an ophthalmologist



to essentially show
what level of vision I had



and being sure
that it was low enough



to participate in the games.



Visually impaired athletes are
categorized into B1, B2 and B3.



And if your vision is above B3,



you may not be able



to compete.



So I actually was on the edge
of not being able to compete,



but had a second testing



and was able to compete.



And we ended up having
some good races there.



-Yes.



That requalification
really kept us on the edge.



As it happened,



I think two days before
the beginning of the events



which were track at first,



we had fourth place on the kilo



and then road events



where we had that
bronze medal on the time trial.



-And that was awesome.



We got to share it
with our Canadian teammates.



-Yep.



-And we were all
on the podium together.



I remember
I had tears in my eyes.



It was a very proud moment.



-Yeah.



A full Canadian podium



to end the Pan Am Games in 2015.



-But then we had a good
year of training after that.



-Yeah.



-To lead up to
the Défi sportif in Montreal



in May of 2016.



-Yep.



We stayed connected
throughout the winter.



I think after the time trial,



we both had the same conclusion



that we had some potential



together and as a team.



-I think we really
focused on relaxing,



but at the same time,



having really
succinct communication,



reading each
other's body language.



We really
had the flow that day



of a tandem team.



-Yes.



So, in Tijuana,



our first race, if I remember,



the goal was to go
at a speed of 39 kph.



Our goal.



Well, how was it?



A year, just over a year later,



it was 41 kph.



And that day...
-At Défi.



-At Défi,



we made our race at 45 kph.



-Yeah, gold
medal in the time trial.



It was awesome.



-Yeah.



It was, I would say,
one of our best performances.



And I mean...



-And we knew
we had an awesome race



even before we heard the result.



-Definitely.



It's nice
to remember the medals,



the results and the performance,



but all the processes
leading into it



is what I remember the most,
that's for sure.



That's more eventful.



We had the Défi.
We did that performance.



We achieved
what we call the A standard.



We were on the pool for Rio.



Which at the time we were told
 


it would be almost impossible



to go to Rio



and train on...



Hoping we would get
that call for the games.



-Yes.
-Throughout the summer.



-And we were going
to train as if we were going,



even though
the chance was small.



-Yep.



You in Saskatchewan,
me in Vancouver.



-Yes. Training apart.



But you came for a brief
visit in Saskatchewan.



That was good.



-Yes. Awesome roads there.



-And then three weeks
before the games,



we get the call
that as the alternate,



we were getting called
up to go to the games.



I remember going to work and...



I was walking
to work when I heard



when I got the phone call.



I was so excited



and everybody at work
was screaming and yelling.



It was quite exciting.
How about you?



-Well, you were
an hour ahead of me,



so I was waking up,
having my coffee



and got the news.



And I called you, I think.



-Yeah.
-Right after, as soon as I knew.



So that was definitely
a moment to remember.



-Yeah.



And also, what was neat
about Rio as we prepared,



my family was
preparing to come as well.



And that was very exciting.



-Yeah. It's...



-So we get to Rio though,



which was a real honor
to be a part of our team.



Our team was like a family



and I love being
with them, you know.



They were just great, and...



But we didn't quite have
the results we wanted in Rio.



13th in the road race.



No, pardon me, in the...



Yeah, 13th in the time trial,



12th in the road race.



So...



Not the best
results that we wanted,



but I do remember us



communicating as a team,



supporting each other



even in the very,
very steep hills of Rio.



And that really
stands out to me,



along with my family cheering us



right on the sidelines,



yelling "Jo" and "Shoe" because
that's our team nicknames.



"Jo and Shoe!"



-This is where
Jo and Shoe were born.



-Yes. This is it.



-On the side of the time trial



at the Rio 2016
Paralympic Games.



-Right.



So that games
was about family, friends,
 


resiliency and perseverance.



I was really proud of us.
-Yes.



I...



Well, as you said,
we didn't get...



-What's that?



-We didn't get
the results that we wanted.



But it's part
of high-performance sport.



-This is it.
-You have good days, you have...



-You know,
and in high-performance sport,



that's... that's part of it.



You work your butt off.



You know,
training six days a week



with strength training
early in the mornings for me,



followed by going
to work at the hospital...



And then coming home,



getting right on that
trainer in my basement



most of the time.



And putting in some
very hard intervals



sent to me by my coach,



sending him all the data



and then hopping off
the bike and getting ready



to receive my kids off the bus.



So a very busy life.



But it was the most
organized time of my life.



I loved it,
it was exhilarating.



It really was. It was hard.



-Yeah.
-Damn hard. Lots of pain.



But I loved it.



-Yeah, when you have
a goal and a purpose,



we don't count the hours.



And often, even if we train



15, 20, 25 hours,



that's one thing I've learned
in my years of competing,



the job of being a pro athlete
goes beyond that time,



that 20 hours a week.



-Yeah.
-Because everything we do,



what we eat,
what time we go to bed,



how we furnish our time
outside of work and training



is geared towards
achieving that goal.



And it's not over
two months or six months.



-No.



-It's over the course
of many, many years.



-Yeah.
-So...



-And you and I were
both coming out of, like,



I was coming out



of high-performance
training with goalball.



You had your...



You know, 15,
20 years of pro cycling,



and it was still...



I remember my one coach,



he gave me
a t-shirt once that said:



"All you have
to give is all you've got."



-Yeah.
-That's pretty much it.



-I think that sums it all.



15, 20, 25 years of pro cycling.



That makes me feel young.



-Go, go, go.
-I'm kidding...



Now...



-But you know,
it wasn't always easy, though,



because
that training had to be



really a lot of self-motivation



because I didn't have
a team in Saskatchewan.



I teamed remotely
with you most of the time,



with training camps once a year



and then competitions
in the summer.



But a lot
of work in my basement,



getting in the intervals,
some rides on the road.



But there isn't a great support
system for para-cyclists,



even amongst
like single bike riders.



I get a sense that



they're not always
seen as legitimate riders,



which could be hurtful
sometimes and hard for me.



But I had to press
on because I had a goal.



And even to the extent



that my coach was...



The coaches, you know,
never really sat down with me



and found out how I see,
what my world is like,



so that I think
they could optimize



my experience and training.



So I think that is, you know,



it's a good area for improvement



and for research
and for advocacy.



-Yeah, absolutely.
Like...



For me, coming from



individual pro women's cycling



and then switching
to para-sport,



I have learned a ton



and I'm very
grateful that it came



at the end
of my career in a sense.



You and I spent
a lot of time together,



and this is how I learned



the subtle things



about riding



with a visual impairment



and what you can see,



what you can't,



how it changes
your day-to-day life.



But it's things
that I learned



because we spent
a lot of time together.



-Right.



Well, and you took
the time to ask, you know,



you're always checking in.



And I learned
that I could trust you.



And that's a big thing.



When people are kind,



are kindly inquisitive.



-Yeah.



-You know, I'm totally happy
to share my experiences



as somebody
who was born with cataracts.



I've had low vision since birth.



You know,
I can read regular print,



but distances are harder.



And I ride a regular bike,



but slowly and cautiously
in familiar areas.



Racing,
I would probably maim people,



hurt someone and myself.



So, you know,



having you enter
my life is life changing.



-Thank you.
And likewise, definitely.



Sometimes, one thing I...



At the beginning,
coming into para-sport,



I didn't know
what was OK to ask.



Whether it is to you,



to another athlete
with a visual impairment



or someone who had more



of a physical disability.



And it's often...



It's because we don't know
what and when it is comfortable,



but I think that
you sum it up very well,



saying that people asking
and not assuming anything.



-Exactly, because
I think that assumptions



also create bias and prejudice.



Because some people even assume
if you have a visual impairment,



you have a cognitive impairment,



which obviously
is often not the case.



So yeah,



not making assumptions is key.



Asking, being creative.



Creative problem solving



is the basis of people's
lives who have disabilities.



And why should
sport be any different?



So yeah.



-Definitely.



There's a lot of education
that can be made



and we have a lot to learn.



I would say one big
lesson to me has been...



-What's that?



-One big lesson for me



has been seeing things



from another
individual perspective.



For example, knowing
where you're going to schedule



all these things
are important to you,



because, I mean,



for you or any other athlete
with a visual impairment...



you may see 50 %, 30 %, 25 %.



So you need to have a clear
plan of what's ahead of you.



-Yeah. I mean, I think...



It's not necessarily
an official guide,



but just somebody who's...



who can give you some
extra information respectfully,



and then you can all function,



you know, at your best.



-Yeah.



I mean, that's the thing,
it's one of those things,



finding how each of us
can function at their best.



-Yeah.
-And support one another.



-And with me obviously, being
as independent as possible,



which is exceedingly
important to me.



But you know, having
the strength to be vulnerable



and ask for help as needed.



-Yeah.



-To be safe
and to get the job done.



One thing that troubled me



as we went through this project,



learning from Caroline



that there is no current data



to describe how para-sport
is supported in the media,



let alone how
women para-athletes



are represented in the media.



That was shocking
and a bit upsetting.



Because I feel if there
was greater representation



and cultural acceptance,



para-athletes
and female para-athletes



would have more opportunities.



And opportunities
is what is needed, you know,



to prove ourselves,
to get out there,



to prove
to our culture and ourselves



that we're strong
and we have goals



and we have limits to break



and mountains to climb.



So that was...



So that's
an area of more research.



And that's exciting in a way.



It's disappointing, but it's
also an exciting opportunity.



You know what I mean?
-Yeah.



It's empowering
to hear you right now



and it's not



that everything
has been done already.



There is... yeah,
there's room for improvement,



but there's more
initiatives to be taken,



more education.



I mean,



that stat that 5 % of women...



of women's sport
is represented in the media.



-Yeah.
-It's incredible.



-Wow.
-To me that sums it all.



-And that as young children,
60-some supportive,



60-some % of,
I think, female, like,



children and teenagers
are involved in sports,



and by the time they're young
adults, it drops to 16 %.



So I think this 5 % to 16 %



shows us that



more evolution
in the way we support,



advocate for



and represent women



in sport is so important.



-Yeah, that's for sure.



-What do you see
in single bike riding



in terms
of women's representation?



-Women's racing
has come a long way.



I have to say



I like the example of tennis



who is now equal pay to the men.



And I think cycling is working,



individual cycling is working
really hard to bridge that gap.



Slowly. Very slowly.



There are more races,



men races
that are offered to women.



-Yeah.



-Some of the most
prestigious ones,



such as Tour de France,
only have a one-day event



while the men have 21 days.



-Right.



-So it shows a bit
of the road to go.



But I see some progress.



There's a great group



that advocates
for more women's racing,



minimal wage.



And I have to say that to me,



women's racing
is simply different



than men's racing.



It's as exciting.



Races are shorter,



so sometimes a bit more dynamic.



While on the men's side,



what is really great to see



is that... that endurance
and that distance.



They both have their strengths,



they both have
their characteristics.



-Right.



-And there's not one
or the other that's better.



-Yeah
-We need both.



And each of the...



I met a lot of people



who wish to see more
women's racing on TV.



-Yes.
-Get more exposure to it.



-I would love for my girls



to see more women racing on TV.



That would be great.



-Yeah, that would be great.
-And inspiring.



Just like they think,
you know, uh...



My kids and other girls



and other, you know,
children have been inspired,



I hope, by what we've done
on the bike, our journey.



-Yeah.
-What we've achieved.



I'm glad my kids
can see me working out



and being strong,



having a balanced lifestyle.



-Yep.



-But I was wondering,
did you have any...



You have such a good
perspective on women in sport.



Was there anything
else you were going to...?



-Yes.
-Or are we gonna stand?



-Yeah. Want to test
out the legs a little?



-Yes. Yeah, that'd be great.
Spin out the legs.



-All right.
Let's ramp it up.



-OK.



-Get on the drops.



-Switch the gear.



-And more.



All right.
When we reach 40.



Ready?
-Yeah.



-Two, one... Up!



And down.



-Good!
-Yeah!



82 kph.



-Awesome.
-I'm just kidding.



-Ah, that feels good.
-Close to 50.



-Hey, in California,



at the training camp in Temecula



as we were climbing
into the mountains,



what do you think
our speed was sometimes



descending the mountain?



-I remember going
down Palomar Mountain



and we got close to 80 kph.



-Yeah.
And you know what?



It's interesting
when you get into it



and you get into the flow
and you trust your team.



It's not scary.
It's quite exhilarating.



-Totally.



Hum...



You were asking
about my perspective



on woman cycling
and individual sport.



I've experienced
it as an athlete,



you know, little incidents



such as teammates
asking about the weather.



"Hey, how was the weather,
ladies, on your race today?"



And our faces are all
salty still from the race.



We look like destroyed,
like we did a lot of work.



And I was like,



"Are you really asking me
about the weather right now?"



-Yes! Oh my gosh.



When I just put my heart
and soul into a race.



-So sometimes,
we wouldn't get the same talk.



Often comments from...



I don't know,



coaches or staff
about women's bodies



or some things
that would not be said...



-Right.
-... to men racers.



-A bit of sexualization
of women in cycling.



-Yeah, well, for example,



if a guy is tall and strong...



-What's that?



-If a man is tall and strong.
-Oh, yes.



-How powerful, how strong is he?
-Right.



-If a woman has
the same physiognomy,



she's...



We can say she's built.



But it's not seen as similar.



-Right.



-In French, we would say:
"Elle est costaude!"



We would never
say that about a man.



-Interesting.
-So...



-So the respect level,



the dignity level
is still different.



-Sometimes different.



In coaching,



I experienced
it in different ways.



I remember
bidding for a contract



for a large organization



in Vancouver.



Several coaches



or coaching
companies have applied.



Some of us were



ultra qualified Olympians,



really out there
and successful in what we do.



The person who had the contract
is great at what he does,



but doesn't have



nearly half the qualification



and racing locally
doesn't quite compare



to racing at the Olympic level.



-Right.



-So there's a little
bit of discrimination.



-Yes.



-Still.
-Yeah.



-But we've got
to keep working on it.



-So what do you think...
path forward,



do you have ideas



for improvement?



How do we...?
-That's a good question.



I think it's important
to bring the message



and believing



that when women
are more out there,



everyone benefits from it.



It's the whole society



that becomes stronger.



-Yeah.



-It pushes everyone up.



It pushes the level up,
it raises the bar



and everybody wins
at the end of the day.



We all...



like, we're all sisters
and daughters and friends.



Yeah, everybody wins



by increasing
the place of women in sport



and in society in general,



and being recognized
for the qualification...



and the results
are in the same way.



-Yeah, sharing
that culture of success



rather than it being
monopolized by one gender.



-Yeah.



-And that culture shift



to not only embrace all genders,



but you know,
respecting our para-athletes



as hard-working athletes



with perseverance,
life challenges.



And I think
these are the big things



I want to pass on to my kids.



Our, you know, messages
of - obviously - inclusion,



but hard work



that strives for life balance.



You know, really
modeling that for them.



That fitness and...



Fitness is so important



for maintaining our body
and our minds and our spirits.



And I want
to model that for them



and show other disabled



and non-disabled athletes alike



that anything is possible.



And as corny as that sounds,



I was told as a young kid



I had no future in sport



because of my visual impairment.



And as a result,



none of my ability was
explored or tapped into.



None.



And so I didn't
find out about sport,



para-sport until I was 28.



So if somebody out there
is watching this someday



and is wondering
what their opportunities are,



dive in and find out



because you probably
have a great deal of potential



that is just
ready to be explored.



And I'm proud of myself.



And I'm proud of us, Jo.



I feel like we're great
teammates and great friends.



And that's a...



And a teammate
that I've learned so much from.



And I'll carry
those messages with me always



as I continue to train,
continue to be a mom,



continue to be a great
occupational therapist



at my work.



You know,
the messages of sport



translate into
all areas of life.



Sounds corny, but it's so true.



You know, perseverance,



hard work, finding balance,



appropriate self-care.



You know, they've
made me my best person.



Sorry, Jo.
Just kind of monologuing there.



I was getting excited.



-No, I love it.



I agree with you
on all these points.



And I think
high-level sport is a mirror.



It's often
a microcosm or a mirror



of what's happening



in the bigger world,



and being active,



the importance
of the camaraderie,



the relationships,



teamwork, respect,



learning from one another,



growing together



are all things that



made us better off the bike.



-Yeah.
-And in life.



-Great point.



-Again,
for me being part of para



helps me to see things



with somebody else's eyes,



through somebody else's eyes.



-Yeah,
so all those things, like...



take back to my spin classes.



Pass on these
messages to other people



in fun and creative ways



to help them get excited
about their fitness



and their abilities,
whatever they are.



So at the swimming
classes with my kids,



with my clients,
at work, in the hospital,



I hope to inspire them



the way I've been
inspired all these years



of high-performance sport.



-So you consider
this being your dream, or...?



-What's that?



-Your dream
or what you aspire?



-This is what I want. Exactly.
This is what I aspire to.



-Good.
-It's a life of fitness,



advocacy and finding love



and joy along the way.



-That's good.



-Knowing that
it's not always easy



because being
a woman with a disability



is not always easy.



But I'm ready for it.



-That's great.



I mean, in my case, I am three,



two and a half years



post international competition
career or transitioning



and I want to inspire



in the same way
through my coaching



and really make
a good transition



into the daily life



which has been
going really well.



But keep learning,
keep growing,



growing the coaching business
and other ventures,



and invest in the other
areas of life such as,



you know,
friends and relationships.



And stay active,



keep racing
and keep having fun doing it.



-Yeah! Awesome.
-All right.



So yeah,
it's been a fun journey.



-For sure.
-Fun journey for sure.



I think we gotta make



a little bit of a U-turn.



Soon.



Haven't done
these in a little while.



-You're great.
You got this.



-All right.



All right, slowing.



Further.



Two, one... up!



Up! Up! Up!
Push! Push! Push!



More!



And... down.



Yeah!



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Services Techniques Inc.











Closed Captioning: Épilogue
Technical Services Inc.