Paralympic track-and-field star and Lululemon ambassador Hunter Woodhall shares what his global travels are like wearing two prosthetic legs.

When I was born, I had a congenital birth defect called fibular hemimelia.

I still had my feet, but the fibula in both of my legs was not there.

A collage of three photos of Hunter Woodhall on his travels

Credit:Courtesy of Hunter Woodhall

My ankle was also fused on my right leg, so there was no movement.

And I had nine toes.

For the first six months of my life, specialists were focused on corrective measures that just werent working.

Hunter Woodhall in Paris and on a private plane

Courtesy of Hunter Woodhall

The best case scenario would have been that I had to use a walker or assistive walking rig.

Theres nothing wrong with me.

It wasnt until I went to public school that I realized I was disabled.

Paris’s Eiffel tower at night and Hunter and his wife at a music festival

Courtesy of Hunter Woodhall

Still, it wasnt something I let affect my day-to-day life.

We didn’t have enough money to go on family trips.

The only other trip I recall was to Vancouver for the Winter Paralympic Games.

Hunter Woodhall descends from private jet at night

Courtesy of Hunter Woodhall

My parents wanted to show me what’s possible and out there.

It worked I started running track, and before I knew it, I was traveling for meets.

Then, I went to Brazil for the Paralympics, and it was eye-opening.

Soon, track and field also took me to Brazil, Germany, and London.

We pretty much travel together all the time.

But that meant I had to climb the stairs to the big waterslide on my hands and knees.

It was as bad as it sounds.

But when Tara and I started dating, she was like, just wear your legs.

Amusement parks are different.

Ive been turned awaythree separate times for wearing shorts.

It wasnt even a ride where it would have been a problem.

Simple things like going through the TSA take more time.

Every place is different, but Tara and I have gotten it down to a science.

Ill go first since I have to walk through the big detector that spins around you.

They use the metal detector wand on it.

Sometimes, theyll pat me down, but its usually an additional five to 10 minutes.

It was another 40 minutes before they finally cleared me.

But they didnt give me any insight on what was going on it was stressful.

I also always have problems with prosthetic tools.

I follow the rules for instance, I only carry a wrench thats a certain length.

But they give me the hardest time and have probably taken my tools a dozen times.

Plane rides can be challenging, too.

So, I’ll often take off my prosthetic and put it under the seat.

Ill end up hobbling off the plane with them halfway on.

Then, I sit outside the gate until my leg isnt as swollen.

When we’re traveling, people will sometimes stare.

If were in a hot place, where Im wearing shorts, we get even more stares.

Often it comes from kids.

Obviously, they’re curious and trying to figure out the world.

Tara will make funny faces at them.

We always get a kick out of that.

The attention doesn’t really get to me.

Its a decision that makes my life easier.

She’s like, “Those people are staring at you!”