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441: Eden Rainbow-Cooper - This Is My Chance · C Tolle Run

• Carrie Tollefson: Hey everyone, I'm Olympian Keri Tullison and welcome to the SeaTally Run podcast. This week we have Eden Rainbow-Cooper on the show. I've had the chance to interview her many times, but short interviews. And I've called tons of races. Eat it! I wore my jacket for you! Two-time winner of the Boston Marathon! ⁓ my gosh, are you still flying high? Eden R-C: Thank you. Yeah, definitely. It's, I mean, I keep on thinking back to it. It feels like it was ages ago, but then I keep on kind of, yeah, it's like two weeks ago. So crazy. Carrie Tollefson: But today we get to go in depth and we get to hear more from Eden. Eden is our 2026 Boston Marathon champion. I have the jacket on in the wheelchair division. She added that title to her 2024 title. So she's a two time Boston Marathon winner. She's also a 2024 Paralympian for Great Britain. She has been on fire in 2026. Before Boston, I saw her crush it at the NYC half. I knew she had something in store for Boston and she has been doing so well. Yeah, I know we are filming this or taping this a little bit late, but I mean there's been a lot that's happened even since so I first want to just start with Boston. Let's just start with like the the high that will hopefully keep you going for a long time because I will say. I called it. I was like, I don't know. I saw Eden at the NYC half and I just felt like there was something different this year about you. Like, I don't know. I mean, not that you were overly confident or anything like that. It was just it felt like what my favorite thing about that interview that we did post NYC half was you said, it's time for me to put myself in these races and you're ready for that now. So do you feel like there's been a shift? In this episode, we dive right into that recent success at the Boston Marathon. We also hear about the heartbreak that she had the next week in London at the London Marathon. She had some mechanical issues, and even though it cost her her race, she said that experience changed her life. She is one heck of an athlete and super young, but has such a bright future, and I can't wait for you to get to know her. So let's get after it. Eden R-C: Yeah, definitely. think I really grew up maybe isn't the right term, but over sort of like winter training, I sort of decided that I just wanted to make a change. I wanted to come into this year and come in these races and sort of be on the start line and go, yeah, I belong here. Like, I feel like this is where I should be. And I spent so much time working on that. And I do feel that that has... Carrie Tollefson: Hmm. Eden R-C: been exactly what's happened this year. Like I'm not, I'm on these start lines now going, yeah, like I'm ready to race, let's race, rather than going, I feel sort of out of place or like I don't belong here. It's been a massive mental shift, yeah. Carrie Tollefson: Thanks so much for joining me today on See Tally Run. My guest was Eden Ramo Cooper. You can find her on social at EdenLilyT54. Before we go, a big shout out to Rundot for supporting the show and to Andrew Harley and Sarah Burney, the amazing producers behind the Try.Rundot and See Tally Run podcasts. And if you're a fan of the pod, head on over to seetallyrun.com slash review all of your support right there ⁓ at Apple Podcasts. I love that. Is it, was that just on you? To have this massive mental shape or shift or was it, do you have someone that you work with for your mental game? Eden R-C: But to be fair, it was more of a me decision. kind of just... Yeah, I don't know. I just woke up one day and I thought, do you know what? I'm just going to really go for it. And I made that decision and that's exactly what I did. I have not looked back since. I changed the way that I approach things. And yeah, just in my mind, constantly reminding myself, what do I want to achieve and what do I want to do? And that gets me through every day. Carrie Tollefson: Okay. Hey, we are on YouTube, Facebook, X, and Instagram at ctalibron and at Carrie Tullison and also at ctalibron.com. Thank you so much for joining us today and don't forget to get after it. Yeah. And it's kind of fun because did I hear now that you are full on athlete? you are not. So tell me what you were doing before because I mean it's a lot to just train at the level that you have to train at to be the best in the world. So what how was your day before being a full time athlete? Eden R-C: Yeah, so I worked as a digital marketer, sort of, you know, building and maintaining websites for Tarmac, which is like a construction company. So I would wake up every morning, get my morning training done, and then I'd work between my two sessions in the day. And then I would train again in the afternoon or like, it depended on the day as well. But essentially, if I wasn't training, I was trying to work as much as possible. you know, weekends or... early mornings, even when I was away sort of in training camps, ⁓ that would be what I was doing. I just, yeah, I kind of got to the point, and I loved my job as well, so it was a really hard decision, but I did get to the point where I thought, you know, I've got to give racing everything, you know, like really, really give it everything and try and just see what happens. So yeah, I'm really fresh into it, like three days into it. So I'm still figuring it out. Carrie Tollefson: Really? You're just three days into leaving your job? So I got a little inside scoop from, you know, Dorian Kale at NYRR and also Eden R-C: But yeah. Yeah, I left on the first day, so like really fresh. Yeah. Carrie Tollefson: Susanna Scarone gave her some tips. I got some good stuff, but Susanna Scarone obviously is, I mean, one of the best we've ever seen, but is taking a little bit of a pause because she's having a baby. So yeah, she was the one that told us that this is a new chapter for you. You are really going all in. Eden R-C: ⁓ no! Yeah. Yes. So excited. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah, really, it was, I mean, all of us in wheelchair racing, especially with the girls, I feel like we're really, really close friends. So we know a lot about each other's lives. And this was sort of, especially in Boston and London, and even going back a few races previously was me going, I think I'm going to leave my job. Like, I think I want to try it full time. ⁓ having the input from all of the people that have done it before is so invaluable. So, yeah. Carrie Tollefson: New one, yeah. Yeah. It's so exciting, but you know it is kind of scary. It's like you know when you are I mean professional racing and especially in you you're not you're not fully sponsored like some wheelchair athletes like some runners. ⁓ So you are taking a leap and when you go and race around the world I mean things happen and we're gonna get into London you had some mechanical issues there which totally broke our hearts, but I mean things happen so this is a this is a Eden R-C: Yeah. haha Yeah. Yes. Carrie Tollefson: big leap. It's kind of cool that you were able to ask the other female wheelchair athletes too like, should I do this? Is this wise? Eden R-C: Yeah, I mean, it's a massive leap and it is terrifying. It's so scary to sort of give up. It's almost like that safety zone and that comfort ⁓ of knowing that there's always something to go back to. ⁓ But in a way, I also think that taking that away really gives me that extra fire to go, OK, like this is it. This is it now. This is the option. And I'm in a privileged position that Carrie Tollefson: Yeah. Mmm. Eden R-C: if something did happen, like I think I'll be able to get another job. yeah, I'm really lucky to not have to work because of the marathons. yeah, sort of just, yeah, taking it as it comes. But I'm so excited. It's really, I think it's really going to change a lot for me. Carrie Tollefson: Sure. Yeah. I'm so excited too because I do think it will give you that time to really believe that you are that athlete that deserves to win, that needs to win. I mean, you have, you know, you gotta not necessarily have to win, but you're racing now for your livelihood. You don't have something else to fall back on. actually like sometimes I think when you make decent money off of the roads, then it's like, well, you know, it's okay. But now it's not like you gotta get it going. So. Eden R-C: Thank you. Yeah. Yeah, it's definitely not okay now. Carrie Tollefson: Well, listen, let's talk about winning Boston again. I mean, it is so fun to say you're the 2024 Boston Marathon, but now you're the 2026 as well. It's wild and you're only 24 years old. Oh my gosh, it's crazy. So tell us about the race a little bit. How'd it go? Eden R-C: Yes. I mean, everything literally went perfect for me, better than I could have really thought it was going to go. I mean, I knew that I was in good shape going into it. I felt fast and, you know, after New York half, like I knew my hill work was, I mean, way beyond what it had been last year, even when I won in 2024. And I just thought like, I've just got to go for it. Carrie Tollefson: Okay. Eden R-C: You know, I know these other women on the line and I know that they are all capable of producing incredible, incredible performances and have done that many, many more times than I've ever done it. And I just, do know what? just, I went off the line hard and I got in that tuck and I just did not even think about what was going on behind me until I got like to the very bottom. And then I was like, Where is everyone else? And at that point you kind of go, right, I have a decision to make. You can either slow down because a marathon is a long way on your own. You can sort of almost wait and try and get a packed form or just go. And I thought, this is my chance. I'm just going to go. And I really thought as well, I was like, I'll get to the hills and I'm sure that, you know, Catherine Debruner who's just insanely strong everywhere. I'm sure she'll catch me and then maybe, you know, I'll have something left and we can. Carrie Tollefson: Yeah. Eden R-C: and get to the finish line together but yeah almost like that adrenaline was going through me and I was like no I'm just gonna go I'm gonna go go go go go and yeah I went through the finish line and I was like oh it's so cool it's so cool Carrie Tollefson: Did it feel different than 2024? Eden R-C: Yeah, 100 % because I knew what I was doing a little bit more. And yeah, I don't know. was just, I just felt like that's my race almost. I'd waited all year to go back to Boston after last year and coming fourth, which was still like insane. I was still really happy with it, but you know, I wanted to come back and I wanted to get on the podium again. And after Tokyo and the big, Carrie Tollefson: Yeah. Eden R-C: New York half, was like, like I can get on the podium and I want to do it. ⁓ And so yeah, I just, yeah, just felt so good. Carrie Tollefson: In wheelchair racing, do you feel still pretty young? Or, I mean, you've been doing it for what, since like 2012, 2013? Eden R-C: Yeah, 30, yeah, half my life now, half my life. Carrie Tollefson: Yeah, I mean to me you seem young like you're still the up-and-comer to me, which I'm like Why is she the up-and-comer? Why are we still talking about her like that? Like you have now won twice you've been on the podium You're always like in the top four like why are we doing that to you? But that's I think it's just because of that that age still you're still young Eden R-C: Yeah, I mean, often I'm still the youngest person on the elite start line, ⁓ which I think is quite easy for me to maybe forget now as well and some of the other women, but it always comes out at some point. It's always, what year were you born? When I say it, everyone's like, yeah, I'm still definitely, I do feel a little bit like a baby sometimes, you know, just in terms of I'm four years deep and some of Carrie Tollefson: Yeah. Yeah? Eden R-C: Like my competitors are like 15 years deep in marathons alone, 20 years. Yeah. 20 years plus in wheelchair racing. And I, I do certain things and I go, wow, I just still have, there's so much more left to learn. So many things I wouldn't even think about. And I actually, after London, I had a conversation with Kristy Dawes about it. And I said like, I am so blessed and I'm so lucky to have sort of gone from here to here so quickly. Carrie Tollefson: Right. In marathoning. Yeah. Eden R-C: But I do often feel I missed a bit of the in-between of that learning stage. And I really had to learn through making some pretty big mistakes rather than smaller mistakes maybe at first. But that's just part of the process and part of fun really, I guess. Carrie Tollefson: Well, yeah, you would kind of, think Daniel Romanchuk, similar. When he won New York, he was so, was he, what was he, 19, his first? Something like that. I mean, I remember him coming into, or doing the TV interview, and I think he, you know, we all know Daniel too. I gotta get him on the show, I've been having the show. He's quiet, and he's brilliant, ⁓ but he was almost like, Eden R-C: Yeah. Something like that, something just crazy, yeah, insane. Yeah. Yeah. Carrie Tollefson: awestruck with the camera like ⁓ my gosh I have this camera on me now what am I gonna say so we've watched him though get this success early on and then you just got to kind of go with it right like you break the tape as a 22 year old in Boston I mean pony up here we go Eden R-C: Yeah, yeah, pretty much. kind of, I think it's strange because in my head I also, like I know what I'm capable of and I know what I've done, but I also still feel like that 12 year old girl that's starting wheelchair racing. And I don't really feel that much different and winning and doing well is like, it's the best feeling on earth and I know I worked hard for it. But I do kind of get on that start line and just feel like. Carrie Tollefson: ⁓ Yeah. Eden R-C: It's just so fun to be here. But yeah, it's different in wheelchair racing because there's just no age limit either. So I could be doing this for another, I hope, 20 years. But we have Dave Weir still on the podium and he's 47 years old. And I'm like, it's just so exciting to sort of say, I've managed to do this twice at 24. In another 23 years, how many more times could I possibly do it again? Carrie Tollefson: Yeah. Yeah. I know, I love that. ⁓ my gosh, you could be like Marcel and win it nine times. It's wild. It's wild. So you won Boston and you beat Catherine DeBrunner by two minutes and eight seconds. Like, you know, I'm still learning as much as I cover you guys. I'm still learning. Does two minutes and eight seconds feel like a long ways to you? does for me. But you know, we see you sometimes win by six minutes or, you know, there's a big range and I think Eden R-C: ⁓ my gosh. Stop. Yeah. Yeah. Yes. Carrie Tollefson: Sometimes it has to do with the course. ⁓ So when you saw that you won by two minutes, what kind of emotion did you have? Eden R-C: I yeah, I train with Katherine. I know exactly, well, no, she's capable of incredible, incredible things. I mean, she was incredibly strong in Boston as well. ⁓ And I ⁓ wouldn't have put money on the fact that I would win against her and then win by that amount of time. that, two minutes and eight seconds, for me is a significant win. Carrie Tollefson: Yeah. Okay. Yeah. Eden R-C: you know, for others and depending on the course, maybe not, it really does depend on the day and everything. But yeah, for me to sort of do that by two minutes was that was a lot in my eyes. mean, it was a fast day as well. So the times were incredibly strong. But yeah, I think the women's field is so intertwined with who's winning and like the top three and four and five is constantly changing. Carrie Tollefson: Mmm. Eden R-C: Just any sort of gap in honor winners super impressive now. Carrie Tollefson: Yeah, were you kind of waiting like looking back like where is she? Yeah Eden R-C: Yeah, she was wearing this incredible bright highlighter pink top. And every time I turned around, I mean, I was turning around a lot because I was thinking, okay, like, she's going to catch up to me and I need to try and make sure that I can counteract the attack and maybe try and get onto her or, you know, I just I didn't want to be caught too much by surprise. So I looked back a lot and my coach was like, you need to stop looking back. Yeah, look in front, not back. Carrie Tollefson: ⁓ huh. Stop looking back. Yeah. Eden R-C: But whether my mind was playing tricks on me, I swear I could always see her, which just made me go like more and more and more and more and more. And then there's the video, I think of me coming to the finish line where I do one last look back. I'm like, is she here? And then I'm like, she's not there, so I can celebrate. But I mean, it just shows you that right into the finish line, I was not certain what was going to happen. Carrie Tollefson: Mmm. Yeah. Yeah, she's not there. ⁓ Yeah, you guys do not have like a rear view mirror like bikes do sometimes. Eden R-C: No, and some people can't look around and see what's behind either. So I'm lucky to have that trunk function that I can look behind, but I Catherine can't. So there's conversations in races before where it's like, who's behind us? Or there's a lot more moving parts than it might seem. Carrie Tollefson: Yeah. Yeah. Yeah, strategy. I mean, there's a lot of strategy that comes into what you guys have have to do. Tell me a little bit about the fear factor that you all have to get over when you are going, know, as runners, we're talking about how the downhills just trash our quads, right? You got to be careful. Also with a wind like we had a tailwind where you can get pushed. I mean, there were times where some of the elites were sort of all alone and they're just getting kind of pushed along and you have to figure that out. Same with you guys. But yet at the same time, you're going so fast that you don't want to put the brakes on. Eden R-C: ⁓ huh. Carrie Tollefson: because you want to just go, but you do have to be careful. So what does the wind, what does that kind of course do for you? Eden R-C: I I love it. Like, I love to go downhill fast. That is my jam. I... Yeah, that's... So, this year, yeah, this year in Boston, I hit 67.4 kilometers, which I think is like 45, 46 miles an hour, give or take. And I was a little bit frustrated because I wanted to hit 70 going down. So that's like where my head's at with it. I love it. That's like... Yeah. Carrie Tollefson: Really? Like how fast do you get? How fast do you know? Top end? ⁓ Yeah, and why didn't you? Was that like you didn't get your push? What is it that? Okay. Okay. Eden R-C: No, just, it just, you know, it just wasn't happening. ⁓ You know, the wind was good, everything can sometimes, there's very little that we can do, you kind of have to push as hard as you can. But once once you're once the wheels are out moving your arms, you can't do anything, you just have to tuck in and wait. ⁓ And I, I tuck in in like a strange way as well. Like I, my thumbs are up like this, and I look through so all I see is Carrie Tollefson: once you're going. It is so scary. Eden R-C: what's exactly in front of me. I don't see anything else. I'm like a horse with like the blinkers on when I'm going down. Yeah, Yeah, I just love it. And the wind as well helps massively on the downhills. So like in a headwind day in Boston, we'll be lucky to sort of hit maybe a low 60 or me low 60 maybe even less but on a tailwind day like yeah, it's really fast and I just I love it. Carrie Tollefson: You need a picture like that. I'm sure you have plenty, but that's cool. I'm gonna look for that next time Yeah, for sure. Well, and that I think is a big advantage. If you have that, if you're sort of fearless and you're willing to go for it, like that's a big, big plus for you on a day like that on a course like that. Eden R-C: Massively because I know that it like I I understand why it's scary as well because we're so low to the floor and You can hear the wheels on the road and it's it's like this huge roar almost It sounds like you're in a plane like we're so low and the sound is so loud and there are potholes and also our steering is quite it's it's very One one movement going that fast and I mean Carrie Tollefson: Yep. Yes. Yeah. Eden R-C: anything can happen. So it's really about sort of picking your line, staying in it and just being confident. And in Boston, like one side of the road is a little bit more bumpy than the other side and you have to pick where you want to be. And if you want people to follow you or what, there's a lot of things going on here. Carrie Tollefson: Yeah, I've not run a lot of the course, but that would be interesting even for the runners. I wonder if the bumpy side is annoying versus the smooth side. I don't know. Eden R-C: Yeah, I will go on the bumpy side a little bit more because I don't mind it so much, but I know that not everyone will, but yeah, I just kind of... Yeah. Carrie Tollefson: All those things. It's just interesting all of that. What was it like? What happens after you break the tape? Like where? I know they take you to media, all that stuff, drug testing, but I mean, wasn't it so... It has to just be like a thrill of a lifetime. Eden R-C: Yes. ⁓ It's just so amazing. As para athletes, there are a few opportunities that you kind of feel immersed completely in the world of sport. And I mean, for me in Boston, know, in 2024 and again in 2026, like both times I just really felt in it. And it's so, it's such a nice feeling to know that they're, you know, everyone's been rooting for you and they want to hear what it was like. to be there with Marcel as well and the incredible runners and everything else. It's yeah, it's really inspiring and it makes you want to keep doing it more and it makes me want to put the sport out there more as well. So there are more opportunities like it. And yeah, I just think it's so fun to be able to share that with everyone, not just other para athletes, but all of the athletes and all of the masses as well. It's super fun. Carrie Tollefson: Yeah. Well, I think what's cool, so Amanda McGrorey and I have gotten to be really good friends and we do a lot of commentary together and you know, as much as you athletes in wheelchairs do not want us to feel bad, there is still, it's kind of like, it's not easy. Life gives you a challenge that us able bodies do not have to deal with, right? Even when it comes to using the restroom or whatever. And so I feel like it is always a good reminder when I'm Eden R-C: Mm, for sure. Carrie Tollefson: and Amanda, like for you all to use a platform that you have to tell the younger and and we don't want to put that on you right it's not it's not for you to have to lift up the entire disabled or community that is in a wheelchair or in doing something different with their lives but I do think when you get these wins and you have these moments where you're like this is what it's all about this is why those hard moments are fun now to be able to say you can get through that Like yes, we daily have to on the on the probably every hour you're reminded that it can be hard So I just feel like it's really cool how you give back and you try to Amplify your world and say there's really good stuff that happens Eden R-C: Thanks. Yeah, I mean, I'm so lucky that, you know, I race with Manuela Shah, Tatiana McFadden, Susanna, like all of them, who when I was 12 were doing these insane things and I got to go, I want to do that because of them. And now I get to be on a start line with them. And more than that, you know, dare I say, like formed friendships with these people, which if I went back 10 years ago, even five years ago, I would have gone like, you're insane. That's not going to happen. Carrie Tollefson: Yes! Yeah. Yeah. Yeah Eden R-C: Like, why would that ever happen? But you're in such, like, I'm in such a unique position that I want, you know, little girls and boys that are 10, 11, 12, 15, even my age to go, I want to do that. And I want to have those opportunities that, you know, that I had growing up and still continue to have to just. break into this awesome world of meeting your heroes and then learning from them and competing against them. It really is like the dream and the coolest thing in Carrie Tollefson: It's so cool. Ah, tell me about what you had when you were born and why you are in a wheelchair. Eden R-C: Yeah, so I was born with something called sacroegensis, which I kind of liken it to spina bifida, but it basically means I don't have the last few parts of my spine. So I don't have a sacrum, a coccyx and like a vertebrae basically. ⁓ So it means, yeah, yeah, just the very bottom. So it means that my nerves are all bundled up and they don't have the same connections. So muscle growth is basically non-existent in my lower legs. ⁓ Carrie Tollefson: Okay. ⁓ just at the bottom of it, though it's lower. Okay. Eden R-C: So I can still walk and I still have like pretty much full feeling, which is really nice. But ⁓ I do use wheelchair for sort of any sort of distance or just when I'm out and about because it's just a lot more taxing for me to walk. Carrie Tollefson: But when you are at any of these races, we don't see you come up on stage walking. You definitely are in your chair. Eden R-C: Yeah, because as well, especially around marathon time and being in my racing chair, I'm fully squashed like a Z. because I can feel my legs, it's really, really painful. So after a marathon, I actually I'm not able to walk anymore because it's like so painful for my legs. also, again, similarly beforehand, it's just a lot easier for me to be in my chair and get around and less tiring. So it's. Carrie Tollefson: Yeah. Yeah. you Yes! Eden R-C: It's almost for me like, you know, the runners with their really soft shoes that give them a little bit of stuff. So it's much easier for me to just be in my wheelchair and just zip around everywhere. Carrie Tollefson: Yup. So how long did it take for you to get into a wheelchair? Were you in a wheelchair pretty early? Eden R-C: No, I had a, I couldn't walk when I was born. ⁓ basically when I was younger, they said to my parents, Eden's never going to walk and she's probably not going to have like a very normal or easy life. And my mum, my dad made the decision to go and we moved to sort of like a complete other place. And we found a doctor that was willing to just try and sort of give me the opportunity to walk. So I had a lot of operations when I was younger to straighten my feet out. Carrie Tollefson: Mm. Eden R-C: And so I was able to sort of like flat-footed walk. And then I was in like a little frame and I'd have sticks and orthotics and a lot of different things. And then once I'd built up that base sort of around senior school, ⁓ we decided it was just easier and quicker for me to sort of have the wheelchair for when I needed it. But even now, like it's still important that I do walk as much as possible to try and keep up that muscle. And so, yeah, exactly. just... Carrie Tollefson: Okay. Yeah. get circulation and. Eden R-C: Just keep things sort of alive and stronger so that I can keep that ability for much longer. Carrie Tollefson: Is it slower when you're walking? you slower? ⁓ Eden R-C: Yeah, I'm much, much slower. mean, would probably take me, to walk 100 meters, it would probably take me solid like maybe two or three minutes. So it's a lot slower and it's more painful for me and it's just like a taxing thing, yeah. Carrie Tollefson: Yeah. don't think I knew that Eden. I thought that you were in your wheelchair 24-7. I think that's really, I like to hear that you are able to do that. ⁓ It just feels like too, it will keep you healthier and maybe let your body kind of flush out some of the stuff that you get from when you're training and then marathoning and stuff like that. Eden R-C: Yeah. Absolutely. I mean, it's really, it's really important for me to be able to walk and do all of that. And it's also, I think it's helpful for people to understand that as para athletes, when you see someone in a wheelchair, it doesn't just mean that they're in a wheelchair full time as well. So it's, you know, bringing in something a little bit different and being able to educate on not every person in a wheelchair is paralysed or has no feeling, you know, there's a really big spectrum of it. Carrie Tollefson: Interesting. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah, that's really neat. Okay, so let's let's talk about London The frustrating part of being an athlete like you know, there's all kinds of things that go wrong get sick you have injuries You guys obviously have to deal with you know equipment a little bit more than anyone else So tell us what happened and I'm so sorry that it happened Eden R-C: Yes! Yes. Yeah, so I did my warm-up and it was great. I felt great and before we get gridded in London, we all sort of accumulate at the bottom behind some of the barriers and there was like a hissing and I was completely oblivious to it because I was talking to someone and Manuela turned around and she went, is that you? I was like, yeah, yeah. She's like, that you? I was like, no, it's not me. It's definitely not me. went, oh no, I think it is me. And then... Carrie Tollefson: Men while a shard did. Eden R-C: panic. And at that exact moment, everyone was being taken to get gridded up. The buses were leaving with all of our light bags in it. And yeah, I had a puncture, but it was sort of more than that. And so so I use tubular tires. So it's just like a ring tire and yeah, a rock, a stone, whatever something had just punctured through it and the air was leaking out. Carrie Tollefson: And what's a puncher? What's a puncher? ⁓ Mm-hmm. Oh, I see what you're Eden R-C: Yeah, so it's like you can't race on that. That's that tire is dead, buried, gone, and they're expensive and it was new and it was, yeah, frustrating thing. But also, we some of us or I do, I lock tight my wheels in a race so they don't wobble and come off. But then obviously I put too much on and we can get the wheel off. Yeah. And then when we were taking the tire off, we broke the valve and we broke the valve off in the valve extender. And it was just like a boom, boom. Carrie Tollefson: Yeah. couldn't get it off to replace it. Eden R-C: boom, sort of one, two, three, four, five thing. And luckily there was so many amazing coaches there and not just my coach, don't know, but five different coaches came over to try and help me. And ⁓ our solution in the end was to half pump up a tire, try and just rip it onto the wheel and ⁓ yes, send me off. But the gun was gone, you know, I was five minutes behind and I was on a half flat tire, but I was going for it. Carrie Tollefson: Yeah, you ended up 11th, so you did finish. Eden R-C: Yeah, I finished. I mean, I was pretty happy with my time as well considering everything and yeah, absolutely. it's also, tire pressure is really, really important for us and how fast we go, but also cornering. So every corner I was sliding out and my chair was off on an angle. So I was trying to fix that and it was, it was honestly the hardest race I've ever, ever done. Carrie Tollefson: I mean it was like you were in mud the whole way. Yeah. Ha! ⁓ my gosh, how was your body after it? Were you super sore? RET. Eden R-C: I was so broken and exhausted and my brother was at the finish line as well. And I was sort of, got to the end and I saw my brother and I was so, so, so just went, oh yeah. But it was one of those things where it was like, it showed me what I'm made of. You know, I pushed for an hour and 45 or an hour and 50 minutes, whatever it was on a half pumped up tire, just wanting to give up. But. Carrie Tollefson: ⁓ yeah. Just melts it. Eden R-C: I didn't and I think that's, yeah, for me that's something to really hold close to me. Carrie Tollefson: Everyone has to go to your Instagram and just look at some of the posts. I mean, they're brilliant for one, but I think what my favorite thing about you is that I've read that you want to just prove people wrong. You just want to get out there, show everybody no matter where you are in a chair, running races, whatever you're doing, you want to get out there and show people that you got it. You're gritty, you're tough, you're focused, determined, all those things. Eden R-C: Yeah, I think it's like a big thing of growing up as a kid with a disability. A lot of people, sort of, rather than say, look at all these incredible things that you can do, they sort of go, ⁓ well, you can't go running. And, you know, maybe you can't go in the gym normally, or it's like a not constant, but a lot of people sort of stream these things into you of how your life is going to be different and the things that you can't do. And for me, yeah, I don't know why, but I'm just like... Carrie Tollefson: Yeah. Eden R-C: know what? I can do anything and I will do anything and that yeah maybe a bit of spitefulness fuels me but it gets me to the end so... Carrie Tollefson: I love it. Bring it on. It's just it's perfect. ⁓ And I also think that we are we are seeing change in the world of sport where You all have changed this world of sport where you know the Paralympics are one thing but just being professional athletes you all are doing that and I think kids that you know maybe have an injury or have something that they're born with now see that ⁓ well we can go on and do it and it's very important. My mother-in-law was in a very bad car accident and her leg has never been the same and she did that when she was in as a teenager and nowadays she's like I just wish I would have seen how I Eden R-C: Wow. Carrie Tollefson: could have lived if they would have taken my leg and you know there's things like that right where people now are really seeing that you can have full life and do all the things. Eden R-C: Yeah, I think the stigma around it is changing. One, because it's like not taboo to talk about it anymore, you know, and often, like I'm a complete open book. If there is something that someone wants to know, I am more than happy to try and be an educational person for it. And, you know, that's just from my experience and I can't talk about other people's experiences, but I think that just the world and technology is so much further on than what it was even when I was born, you know. Carrie Tollefson: Totally. Yeah. Yeah. Eden R-C: 24, 25 years ago. So I think now the options are limitless and especially things like the marathons, the media is able to show us there's just normal people and you know, we're athletes, yeah, but at the end of the day, we're also just normal people living our very normal lives outside of sport. And I think that's a big thing for people. It's changing the attitude of my life will never be the same to, now these are... Carrie Tollefson: Sir. Exactly. Eden R-C: like so many other doors that are open for me that I can go and explore that I never would have thought of before. So it's definitely that attitude is a massive, a massive thing that's changing it. Carrie Tollefson: I love it. Yeah, tell you to do something and you'll go show everybody, ⁓ Let's talk about sponsorship. How are we? We've talked about this now for a number of years. How are we gonna get you sponsored? Do you have an agent? Eden R-C: No! Carrie Tollefson: Do I need to become an agent? Because I'm willing. ⁓ It's time, Eden. Eden R-C: Yeah, I think! It is time and you're very, right and everyone else is very, right. And ⁓ I think that I almost needed this to prove to myself that I'm good enough. ⁓ don't necessarily, I wouldn't say it's been just like there's no one's been there or whatever. I think it's also on me as well for sure. ⁓ But I almost needed to win something again to go. Carrie Tollefson: Okay. Eden R-C: Yeah, okay, like now it's for real and I think now I'm a little bit older, maybe I'm a little bit less of a risk and you know, I've proved myself. that's, especially now that I'm not working, that's a big thing for me this year is put myself out there, know, face that, you know, rejection therapy and eventually, hopefully something will come along. But I think, yeah, especially in the lead up to the Paralympics, for me, I want to be able to show the world that... Carrie Tollefson: Yeah. Yeah. Eden R-C: anything is possible of course, but also, you know, it'd be great to have other people that believe in that and believe in me as well. Carrie Tollefson: I believe in you and I think even the way that you can speak and I think even just the way that you fire up all of us like that is just leadership whatever you could definitely be going out there and spreading your message. ⁓ You said it no worlds this summer no Paralympics this summer. So what does your summer look like? I know you said before we started recording you have about a week off and then you're gonna start track season. So what is on that? What's the big race this summer for you? Eden R-C: Yeah, so for me, every year we have a Swiss track series, which is three competitions. So I like to just go to it. It's on super, super fast tracks and we have so many wheelchair racers that come in for it. So I'm going to go there and just see where I'm at. I don't really train on the track. In fact, I don't train on the track at all, but I like to go each year and just kind of see where I'm at as a benchmark. And then it shows sort of for the next year what to work on, what not. It's always a bit of that decision of do I keep doing track or where do I sit with that decision of what I want to do? So yeah, really the next couple of weeks of that track comp is just a little bit of fun for me as well as trying to chase PBs, but it's not major. And then the next big race is Sydney Marathon at the end of August. Carrie Tollefson: end of August. So will we see you in New York at the MINI? Eden R-C: Probably not. I have not been invited, Dorian. ⁓ I'm not sure if they have a wheelchair race there though actually. Carrie Tollefson: Dorian, she will listen. She will listen. can't remember. think they do. But I don't know if they bring in as big of a field. But okay, so maybe that. But how about peach tree? ⁓ Eden R-C: yeah. No, no. I want to at some point, I really want to do Peachtree at some point and, you know, Grandma's Marathon and Cedar Town. I really want to do them at some point just for a bit of fun. But I think that that will probably come maybe after LA. ⁓ Just because this year, the aim is to do seven marathons and I think that's okay for me. Carrie Tollefson: Come on! Yeah. Okay. Yeah. Yeah. Eden R-C: That's a lot of inheritance. And then next year is qualifiers. So I pick and choose a bit more. But definitely at some point I want to do those. Carrie Tollefson: Okay. Okay. So you're in England right now. You're at home. Or where are you? You're in Holland. Are you there all the time? Basically now? Like do you call Holland home? Eden R-C: No, actually in, I'm in Holland with my coach at the moment. No, so this will be the first big chunk I spent here because I was working so I couldn't really... They supported me massively but it didn't feel fair to come away for such long times and try and fit everything in. I'm actually, yeah, I'm out here, I'm competing for three weeks and then having a week off but then I'm coming back to Holland for a month. So I'm really, really excited to do my first like real big, big chunk of training out here, you know, with my coach and with the rest of the team. Carrie Tollefson: Okay. I see. ⁓ huh. ⁓ Very cool. Eden R-C: That's going to be really exciting, but I definitely love it out here. Carrie Tollefson: But England is still home. Like you still live there. Okay, that's where your residence is. Okay, very cool. I gotta know where the Insta handle comes from. Eden R-C: Yes. Yes. Yeah. ⁓ yeah, Eden Lilly. ⁓ Eden Lilly, T54. So Eden's my first name, Lilly is my middle name, and then T54 is my classification. Carrie Tollefson: ⁓ middle name. Okay, but then tell me about Rainbow Cooper. Eden R-C: Rainbow Cooper, it's, yeah, double-barreled last name. My mum's maiden name is Rainbow and my dad's last name is Cooper. And ⁓ yeah, when they had me and my brother, mum and my dad were like, we're not letting go of the rainbow. And then dad wanted his name, but my dad always says, he goes, if you get married, it's fine. You can drop Cooper, just make sure you keep Rainbow. Carrie Tollefson: That's... ⁓ isn't that, that's kind of rare. Eden R-C: Yeah, for sure. It's really, really cool. I know if I meet another rainbow in the UK, I'm like, we're probably related somehow. Carrie Tollefson: Yes, so that was her true last name. She wasn't like an artist or a musician or whatever and sweet. ⁓ Okay, were your mom and dad? That's neat was your mom and dad were they athletes? Eden R-C: Yeah. No. No. So all the way back. No, no, no, not at all. ⁓ My dad played football at school and did swimming and my mum, she likes CrossFit, like more just recreational, but they have, we joke about it often, they've created me and my brother who are very competitive and just fiends for any sort of sport or competitiveness. when my brother and I go and visit my mum, we'll all go to the gym together and I think we terrify the other people in her classes and they're like, Carrie Tollefson: Yeah! Okay. Ha your brother do for sports. Eden R-C: ⁓ he, well, he used to play rugby, but now he's just big on the gym. He kind of does a bit of everything. He's done boxing, but he did for charity run seven marathons in seven days, which is. Yeah. Crazy, crazy. ⁓ I could never. Carrie Tollefson: Okay. Cut. ⁓ he did? He didn't do the big world race that was on different continents, did he? Okay. Eden R-C: No, no, no, he did it for Men's Mental Health for Movember. So he did, yeah, seven marathons in seven days and it was, yeah, just inspiring. Carrie Tollefson: ⁓ I gotta meet these people. If I love their girls so much, I gotta meet the parents and the bro. Okay, so you ready for some run-dot rapid-fire questions? You know me and my rapid-fire, I like them. Okay, Adele or Olivia Dean? Eden R-C: Yes. We're very similar. Yes. Let's go. ⁓ Adele. ⁓ Yes. Carrie Tollefson: Really? Okay. Tats or piercings? Because you got them both! Eden R-C: Yeah, tats. Just everywhere. I think I have almost 30 now. Carrie Tollefson: How many do you have? 30? I love it. I know they're so good. I like they're the micro kind of right? Is that what you call them or no? Okay, I have one and you and I have the same one. We have our rings. Right? You have the rings up here. I have mine right here. Yeah, I saw it the other day. I love it. Are yours colored? Eden R-C: Yeah, little ones. There's lots of little ones, but thank you. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Like... What? Yes! I do here. Yes. ⁓ no, I have one red one, but the rest are all black. Carrie Tollefson: Yeah, but and your rings are all black. Yeah, I kind of wanted to get the colored ones, but with my color skin, I didn't think you'd see the yellow. So anyway, I digress. Okay, hair down or tied back? Eden R-C: tied back normally. Carrie Tollefson: Yeah, okay. Yeah, you look good in that too. Okay. It's cute. I like it. Okay. Roads or rollers? What do you prefer to train on? Yeah. ⁓ I kind of would be nervous. Eden R-C: I just got a haircut, that's why it's down. Thank you. roads roads yep I train, I'm really lucky, I have a really big bike path that's adjacent to a road, so I get to train on that, but I do not like rollers at all. Carrie Tollefson: ⁓ ⁓ it's like the treadmill. Nobody really likes it, but you gotta do it sometimes. Okay, Daniel Radcliffe in Harry Potter or Cynthia Erivo from Wicked. Eden R-C: Yeah. Daniel Radcliffe, Harry Potter, Harry Potter all the way, all the way. Yes. Carrie Tollefson: Really? And also like you just I don't know I can I can see that actually but did you see Cynthia ran London? Yeah, she ran really well. Yeah Yeah, she's really fast and you would know her coach Erica Kemp. You've seen her at races for sure. I don't know if you she's a Brooks ⁓ US athlete, but yeah, you would know her. Okay massage or chiropractor? Really? Crack it out! Eden R-C: I did. She got sub four, right? She's fast. Yeah. Probably. Crazy. Nice. Chiropractor? Yeah. Yes. Yes. I get an inch taller every time. ⁓ Carrie Tollefson: my gosh, I love it, okay. Long runs or intervals? Football or cricket? Eden R-C: Long runs. Carrie Tollefson: or rugby? Yeah, okay, I can see that. Now this I don't know for sure if you say this, but my good friend Tim Hutchings, who's British announcer, you know him, he always says brekkie or fish and chips. So brekkie for, you know, the English breakfast or fish and chips. Eden R-C: Neither? Rugby, rugby. Yeah. Or Breckie. Yeah, full English. Yeah, all the way. Carrie Tollefson: Yeah, okay. How about this one? Paralympics or winning Boston Marathon? Can I even ask that? Which one would you rather win? Let's do that. Would you rather win the Paralympics or the Boston Marathon? Eden R-C: I would rather win in the Paralympics because it's like the one marathon I haven't finished. Carrie Tollefson: Oh, okay. There you go. But it's still fun to win the Boston Marathon. You get paid a little bit more to win the Boston Marathon, which is so weird. Isn't that weird? Eden R-C: Mm-hmm. Yeah. I mean, I'll take both. Yeah. Yeah, that's... I mean, I don't know. It's, yeah, for pride in country or, you know, Boston. It's both for different reasons, right? You do get a gold medal at the end of both, actually, so. Carrie Tollefson: I know. They need a ba... Yeah. You do. But we need to bump up the prize money there. So, our, yeah, well, this has been so much fun, Eden. I can't wait to see what happens this summer. Hopefully I'll see you at some of these races again, but if not, I'll see you either in Chicago or New York or maybe Sydney. I've never been to Australia. If they need another female commentator, like throw my name around. Okay, thank you so much. Enjoy Holland. Eden R-C: I won't complain. to show. Do it. Do it. Let's go. Thank you so much. Carrie Tollefson: Keep getting after it.