To this day, she lives with complex chronic illness and multiple secondary diagnoses.
And while those dynamic diagnoses could derail anyones dreams, Seely was determined to hold on to hers.
I had started triathlon prior to experiencing a major turn in my symptoms while at college.
My medical team at the time even said I would never be an athlete again.
My medical team at the time said I would never be an athlete again.
But, I dont like to be told what to do.
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She won her first gold at the 2016 Paralympics in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
She says she is excited, but also fairly calm, about the prospect of defending her title.
I truly do focus on each day without getting caught up in the bigger picture …
There is a piece of me that knows Ive been here before and can handle it.
Comparing yourself to [others] will do you no good.
You must follow your pathwaywe all have to take our own journey.
I absolutely agree with the concept of separating our identities from what we do, Seely says.
Seely says that when she is asked the question, What do you do?
she will rarely say she is a Paralympic gold medalist.
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I always answer very vaguely, like I work for the U.S. Olympics and Paralympics, Seely says.
the fun in it.
Sometimes its just about getting the miles in without being too specific about pace or distance.
Outside of sport, Seely likes activities that help her stay present.
Getting out with my two dogs, Bentley and Mowgli, for a walk is incredibly rejuvenating.
My dogs are honestly the thing I miss most about home when I travel.
These hobbies are fairly sedentary, which also gives me time to recover from my training, Seely says.
Seely says that taking a break from road biking is rewarding at the end of a long competitive season.
I lovebeing out in nature, enjoying the silence and solitude of it while on my mountain bike.
She practices self-care
Seely is constantly putting her body through rigorous workouts.
While she thrives on being an elite athlete, she finds joy in gentle self-care, too.
This past year I have started to enjoy some simple skincare practices, Seely says.
Something as easy as aBurts Bees facial maskbrings me a lot of relaxation.
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