Frost heats up in track challenge

Posted Jul 21, 2011 By Charelle Evelyn

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EMC News - A local multi-athlete has traded in his summer paddles for running shoes and is making real strides in a new challenge.

Kevin Frost, best known for his accomplishments on the speed-skating oval, has begun training with the Canadian national paralympic track team and is working his way up to competition standards.

The Orléans resident, who was diagnosed with Usher's Syndrome - a genetic disorder causing progressing hearing and vision loss - in sixth grade, holds the record at the Russia Paralympic Open Blind Cup in speedskating and over the past few years, has been training with the Canadian rowing team.

But this May, Frost wanted to try something different and approached Canadian national paralympic coach Hugh Conlin about getting into track.

"It's a totally different muscle group than speed skating," Frost said, explaining his legs were used to the pushing as opposed to the lifting necessary for running.

In his mid-40s, Frost is now training with athletes half his age, on a team of seven people - almost all of whom are vision impaired.

"I'm really pleased with them, it's great," said Conlin, who was hired as lead coach with ambulatory athletes (those with cerebral palsy, vision impaired or amputees) a year-and-a-half ago along with training his own group in Ottawa full time.

Three members of his team, who train at the Terry Fox Athletic Facility, were part of the 4x100-metre relay team placing fourth at the Paralympic World Championships in Christchurch, New Zealand back in January.

Frost trains with the team four days per week and describes himself as being "about 75 per cent there" in terms of reaching a national standard. Last Wednesday, he set two personal best times in his 100-metre and 400-metre races. "I'm probably in better shape than I've ever been," he said, joking his presence is motivation for the other team members. "They can't let an old guy beat them."

One of the team members, Brandon King, moved to Ottawa from Brampton to train and was described by Frost as "a fun athlete to watch."

King, who attended the W. Ross Macdonald School for the Blind in Brantford, said running was something he's always enjoyed and was doing it for fun since the seventh grade.

"My mom said I was always an active child," King said, who now trains five or six days per week and can cross the finish line in a 100-metre dash in less than 12 seconds.

For Frost, the opportunity to train with people like Conlin and King is a positive challenge.

"It's good to look at options in sports. They can open many doors," Frost said.

The Canadian National Paralympic Team will compete at the Czech Open in August.

To follow his progress or to support his journey, visit www.deafblindspeedskater.com.

cevelyn@theemc.ca




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