Episode 54: Markeith Price - USA Paralympian, Visually Impaired Track & Field Athlete
b'Today\\u2019s guest is Markeith Price. Markeith is a visually impaired track & field athlete from Baltimore, MD who competes in track & field, specializing in the 100m, 200m and 400m sprints and long jump events. At the Rio 2016 Games, he achieved his best Paralympic result, a 5th place finish in the 400m. Markeith\\u2019s dream is to reach the medals podium at the 2021 Tokyo Paralympics and of course, strive for the gold medal. At age 3, Markeith was diagnosed with optic atrophy, a rare and permanent visual impairment caused by damage to the optic nerve. In Markeith\\u2019s case, his optic nerves were not fully developed at birth. Never allowing his loss of vision to slow down his body or his mind, Markeith embraced sport and fell in love with running. Markeith is a college graduate and is passionate about promoting the value of education. In 2013, Markeith founded the I C You Foundation, which serves the Baltimore community by providing scholarships and resources to visually impaired students and funding to various schools of the blind. He\\u2019s also working on getting his Master\\u2019s in Information Systems to support his entrepreneurial ventures and post-pro running career. In this interview, we discuss how Markeith has had to adjust his training due to the pandemic, what it\\u2019s been like for him to live with optic atrophy, his love of running and fashion, and his quest to medal at the 2021 Tokyo Paralympics. \\nTimestamps\\n00:03:08 Adjusting due to the pandemic\\n00:06:22 Dealing with the news that the Paralympics were canceled\\n00:07:48 Specific training adjustments during the pandemic\\n00:11:42 Growing up in Baltimore, MD\\n00:14:44 Where his self-motivation comes from\\n00:16:00 Optic Atrophy and how it affects his vision\\n00:24:03 When he found his love for running\\n00:26:55 Running track at Division I Tennessee State University\\n00:30:20 Getting disqualified in track\\n00:33:23 His interest in fashion and starting a new business\\n00:40:45 Career ambitions post Paralympic career\\n00:44:18 When he set his sights on becoming a Paralympian\\n00:46:53 Road to becoming a Paralympian\\n00:48:40 Process of accepting his disability\\n00:51:05 The events that he competes in\\n00:53:00 Missing out on the Beijing Paralympics\\n00:57:14 Experience at his first Paralympic Games\\n01:01:52 Goal for Tokyo Paralympics\\n01:02:55 His weekly training schedule\\n01:12:40 How he trains his mind\\n01:19:46 Biggest athlete influences for him\\n01:23:55 What he wants to accomplish 5 years from now\\n01:26:17 His daily routine\\n01:29:00 His driving force\\n01:29:49 Parting words of wisdom around staying driven'