Date of Birth: November 22, 1980
Hometown: New Hope, Minnesota
Nationality: American
Height: 5’5”
Favorite Terrex Product: Terrex Free Hiker
What does it truly mean to be a source of motivation to others? We spoke to adaptive athlete Quinn Brett about sport after life-changing injury, adaptation, and what keeps pushing her to continually raise the bar.
adidas: Can you recall an early memory from your escapades that fueled your desire to turn it into a professional pursuit?
Brett: I don’t think there is anything specific, I just discovered that I could move across ridges and terrain fairly efficiently. I enjoy the iron taste in my mouth after burning my lungs on an uphill run, I realized the more fit I got, the easier it was and less it hurt.
ADIDAS TERREX ATHLETE QUINN BRETT CAN’T BE STOPPED
Brett’s list of accomplishments range from numerous big wall climbs, triathlons, and ultra-marathons. In October of 2017, Brett and her friends were out to add another to the list, scaling a route on the notorious El Capitan when disaster struck. A 100-foot fall severely damaged her spinal cord among various other debilitating injuries, leaving her paralyzed from the waist down. Amazingly, this accident served to send her into a world of advocacy and inspiration, speaking up about accessibility in the outdoors and becoming an incredible pillar of the adaptive athlete community. Calling it quits on movement was simply never an option.
adidas: How do you define mental resilience in the realm of daring exploits? How do you maintain inspiration, concentration, and overall satisfaction amid the highs and lows?
Brett: After having a spinal cord injury, I would like to think that the biggest lesson in life I have learned is how to adapt. That we do adapt, and while it is scary, daunting, or unwelcome in the moment—we can do it, and it makes us better and stronger.
Brett joined adidas in 2020, is an employee of the National Park Service, and is an avid believer in variety when it comes to accessibility outdoors. You can find her climbing and exploring trails and bike paths in a new way, thanks to her trusted hand bike. She is a dedicated swimmer, pianist, bread maker, and peanut butter enthusiast.
“I’ve been educating on the type of mobility devices out there, opening doors for us to explore and be recreationally more adaptive on our trails in national parks.” — Quinn Brett.
A true multi-hyphenate, Brett is simply unable to be held back or limited by her disability. For those who enjoy exploring the outdoors and the large variety of trail types that come with it, send her a letter of thanks. There is certainly more to come from this truly inspirational athlete. For more from Brett, check out the documentary An Accidental Life and give her a follow on Instagram for a look inside her life @quinndalina.
For more info on other adidas climbing athletes, check out our other articles on Kai Lightner and Jon Cardwell. If you’re looking for tips on how to help you climb, dive into our articles on Rock Climbing Workouts and Climbing Tips for Beginners. Whether you’re getting your reps in at the gym or preparing to send a new route, we’ve got you covered.