When Taylor Talbot lines up for a race, she doesn't see the finish line, but she knows exactly where she's going.
At just eight years old, Talbot was diagnosed with a rare degenerative eye disease called retinitis pigmentosa.
However, the reality of that diagnosis didn't fully hit her until she turned 14.
“I would look around at all my fellow peers and classmates and they were getting their drivers permits, they were getting their licenses, they were getting that exposure to independence and I realized I would never get that. I’m never going to be able to drive a car," Talbot recalled.
Growing up, she just wanted the freedom she saw in her peers.
"I wanted to be normal. That’s what I wanted," Talbot said. "I didn’t want people to look at me and be like 'oh yeah that’s that blind girl. She’s not doing much, she's not capable of anything.' And that’s what I had to confront too. And that was very difficult."
Just two years later, the Oregon native soon found her community through running.
"When I started meeting the people in paralympic sport, I just realized this is the place for me," Talbot said.
Running gave her a sense of freedom, one that eventually led her to represent Team USA as a Paralympian in track and field.
But after years on the track, she was ready for a new challenge. Two years ago, she transitioned to para-triathlon, taking on swimming, cycling and running, all while learning to compete tethered to a guide.
"To have to trust somebody on that level and put your faith in the person that is going to be next to you that whole time...it's a very humbling experience," Talbot admits.
To take her training to the next level, she moved to Tucson. A city known for its endurance sports community and year-round sunshine. Here, she trains under Arizona Triathlon Coach Wes Johnson.
"Taylor's relentless. She shows up every day ready to work and she cares so much about everyone around her," Johnson said.
Now, Talbot is preparing to represent Team USA once again. This time, at the World Para Triathlon Championship in Wollongong, Australia next week.
