What does it take to become a Paralympic gold medalist? For Team USA Paralympic hand cyclist Kate Brim, the answer goes far beyond training and racing.
Host: Torie Giffin, Owner Buffalo Lodge Bicycle Resort
Guest: Kate Brim, Paralympic hand cyclist for team USA
In this inspiring episode of Pedal The Springs, Kate shares her remarkable journey from a spinal cord injury at age 19 to standing atop the podium at the Paris Paralympics, where she earned gold in the time trial and bronze in the mixed team relay.
Kate opens up about the difficult road she faced after Paris, including a kidney infection, ICU hospitalization, months without riding, and the daily realities of living with Type 1 diabetes while relying on TPN nutrition. After more than a year away from international competition, she returned to racing at the Para-cycling World Cup in Chiang Mai, Thailand—the first Para-cycling World Cup ever held in Asia—where she captured victories in all three events she entered.
We discuss the physical and mental demands of elite para-sport, traveling internationally with 95 pounds of life-sustaining medical equipment, and the incredible “team behind the team” of coaches, trainers, nutritionists, family, and supporters who make success possible.
Kate also shares her favorite rides around Colorado Springs, including Gold Camp Road, Cheyenne Canyon, Fountain, and Garden of the Gods, and discusses road safety for hand cyclists, the high cost of adaptive sports equipment, and the growing visibility of para-cycling in the United States.
Before her injury in 2017, Kate was a competitive rower and outdoor enthusiast. Today, she trains full-time as a Paralympic athlete while living and training in Colorado Springs at the U.S. Olympic & Paralympic Training Center. Through every challenge, she continues to embody the grit, determination, and resilience that have defined her journey.
Whether you’re a cyclist, athlete, caregiver, or simply someone facing challenges of your own, Kate’s story is a powerful reminder that setbacks do not define us—how we respond to them does.
Follow Kate:
Instagram: @QuadKate
Facebook: Kate Brim
Strava: Kate Brim
Learn More:
U.S. Olympic & Paralympic Training Center
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Post-Episode Update: When this interview was recorded in April, Kate was just days away from receiving her diabetic alert service dog, Sobako. Since then, Sobako has already proven to be an invaluable companion, alerting Kate to low glucose levels during training and helping her safely manage her Type 1 diabetes while pursuing her athletic goals.
Kate has also continued her remarkable comeback, winning gold medals in both the road race and time trial at the Para-cycling World Cup in Italy as she prepares for the World Championships in Huntsville, Alabama this September—the first Para-cycling Road World Championships ever held in the United States.
Pedal the Springs is produced and presented by the Buffalo Lodge Bicycle Resort, the only bicycle-themed lodging and must-stay for cyclists coming to Colorado. Check us out at bicycleresort.com for more information.
Episodes are recorded in the Studio 809 Podcasts community podcast studio at The Next Us.
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