Nicole Ramsbey, W30-34

greenville, sc

How did you get your start in Triathlons?  On a dare from a couple of guys at the office.  I was giving the guys a hard time b/c they wouldn’t do a local 15k run instead of the 5k run, and they said it wasn’t fair that I didn’t do the triathlon when they did.  So I trained with them and did the sprint triathlon, beating all of them except one and they still didn’t do the 15k.  I managed to beat all the guys the next year, just to prove a point.

What is your favorite workout?  This strictly depends on my mood, if I’m IM training than probably the swim only b/c it’s not as high intensity.  Normally I would enjoy a long run or ride best.

“When I’m not training/racing, I enjoy…”  laying on the couch with my hubby and dogs watching tv or movies.  I am the laziest triathlete if I am not training (when is that!).

If you could train for a week with one other triathlete who would it be and why?  Emma Snowsill.  I got into the sport not too long after her boyfriend was killed in a bike wreck, and after that I have always followed her continued success.  She seems to always keep her head up no matter what happens and is such a great athlete.

If you could have one superhero power what would it be?  Well someone just said xray vision, but I don’t know  . . .

Describe your biggest race disaster.  I think I attract disaster sometimes, but who ever has a race go smoothly.  I recently purchased new carbon fiber tri shoes and some new pedals.  I had practiced on the new pedals and they were a little difficult to clip into, but no biggy I like a challenge.  Well, it became a biggy as I try to get clipped in on race day and can’t.  I ride trying to figure out what to do and finally stop, I take a deep breath and concentrate to see if some good old focus will solve my problem.  It doesn’t.  I then proceed to ride while trying to hold back tears, which turned into me saying unpleasant things, which then turned into focus yet again.  I had an athlete out there doing his first Olympic distance tri, and I instantly knew that no matter what I had to finish.  I rode 26 miles of rolling hills not clipped in and on top of my pedals.  I had so many bruises on my legs when I finished from the shoes slipping while I was climbing.  I did finish though, and still managed to place.  Needless to say, after not looking at my shoes for 2 days, I finally took them to the bike shop and found out that I was supposed to be putting a couple drops of wax on the cleats.  I now do that every night before a race.

Do you have a non-negotiable pre-race ritual?  I have long curly hair that is always in the way, so I do double French braids the night before to keep it out of my face.  The only problem is no one ever knows how to do it, so I wind up doing it myself which isn’t easy.  I tend to not completely relax until this part of the evening is over.

What culinary indulgence do you allow yourself after a big race (that you don’t normally partake of)? Beer, and it never tastes as good as it does after a race.

Have you ever accidentally destroyed a very expensive piece of gear? (For example, have you driven into the garage with a bike on the roof, run over race wheels, etc.)  my husband would kill me

What is the worst job you’ve ever had?  Does helping my dad shingle a roof as a kid count?

What adjective describes you best?  driven

Finally, do you have any advice for athletes new to multi-sport competition?  The padding on bike gloves is for the palm of your hand, not the other way around.  If you are zipping up your wetsuit in the front, you probably have it on backwards.  A string bikini will only work so long in the pool before you actually have to purchase a swimsuit made for swimming.  If you don’t have bike pants for winter riding and you are wearing windpants, a rubber band needs to be put around your right leg to stop it from getting caught in the chain and causing you to fall.  Last but not least, if you start to panic before a race and forget what to do . . . . .SWIM BIKE RUN!

Recent Results: Paris Island Sprint Triathlon, 1st AG; Clemson Sprint Triathlon, 3rd AG; Festival of Flowers, 2nd AG; IM Austria

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