nicole ramsbey

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A few words about me

Unlike most people in the sport of triathlon, my athletic background doesn’t consist of high school or college sports.  I’ve had my moments growing up where I struggled with weight and didn’t exercise, but luckily I’ve also had those “come to Jesus” moments where I realized what I was doing wasn’t healthy. 

The last time I came to that realization was after I’d been diagnosed w/what some doctors call fibromyalgia.  I was in my early 20’s, married, and some days couldn’t get out of bed.  My muscles were just so tight, they’d spasm, sleep was difficult, and the only solution the doctors could come up with was to medicate me.  A couple of years later, I decided that I was done w/sitting around.  I ordered a pilates tape (yes tape!) and vowed to start running. The first couple weeks were horrible.  I’d set out to run a mile thinking it wasn’t that far, and I’d only get a half a mile before walking.  The exercise itself wasn’t as painful as the day after would be.  I guess at that time it’s a good thing I was medicatedJ!  j/k.  Honestly, I was so darn pissed off at my situation that I wasn’t going to let it continue to dictate my life. 

Fast forward a year later, I’d done 2 10k’s and was consistently exercising and slowly (very slowly) decreasing my meds.  While at work I got caught up in some smack talk w/the guys in the office and got talked into signing up for a local triathlon.  Everyone at the office trained together, and no one knew what they were doing.  The experience was priceless.  The camaraderie, the community, and the sport itself instantly had me hooked.  Suddenly I had this great group of people and then we have to move again. 

The good news was we were moving back to what I considered home, bad news was I had no clue of anyone in the area into triathlon and now it was winter too.  Enter Team in Training and Forrest Fowler.  I stumbled upon a way to do triathlon, have a coach, event paid for, and raise money for cancer.  SOLD!  I did 10 tri’s that year, signed up for my first Ironman, and was off almost all of my medication.        

Since then I have done 4 Ironman, countless cycling rides, an endless amount of running events, and I’m now one of the coaches for Team in Training.  I have also had a baby boy, and am happy to report that I survived bed rest and did my first tri 7 weeks after giving birth.  I recently signed up for Ironman again (I have a great husband!), so we shall see how determined and stubborn I get this year when it comes to workouts.  Things definitely get more difficult after baby, but they are NOT impossible. 

My dad told me once that he thinks triathlon saved my life.  I have to agree.