Hayes-Ramos Swims to Success

By: Cameron Addertion ‘20, communications

It’s never too late to conquer your fears. Grace Hayes-Ramos was able to conquer her lifelong fear of swimming by taking lessons with Wellness and Recreation swim instructors. Determined to compete in triathlons, Hayes-Ramos could run and cycle but her fear of swimming was keeping her from participating. The overwhelming fear of the water, the unfamiliar strokes, techniques she did not know and the deep end could not hold her back any longer. After 40 years, our swim lesson instructors helped her tackle her fear and now she is unstoppable.

Hayes-Ramos had little experience with swimming before taking swim lessons with Wellness and Recreation. At the age of 10, her father forced her to take swim lessons. However, she was not ready to battle the chilling, bitter water. The cold chlorine and the powerful, choppy water she had to fight against making this an unpleasant experience. Because of this poor experience, she developed a fear of the water and would only use the shallow end of pools. In high school, she started running, competing in 5- and 10K runs. Now as an adult she continues to run and has begun cycling. To complete the trifecta, she is ready to face her lifelong fear of swimming in order to reach her goal of training and competing in triathlons. Hayes-Ramos came to Wellness and Recreation because they were able to accommodate swim lessons for her busy life of both work and training.

“I really lucked out in getting into the swim lessons program,” said Hayes-Ramos.

Hayes-Ramos knew to be able to participate in triathlons she had to renew her swimming skills since it had been 40 years since she had used them. She knew she would need instructor guidance to be able to gain the skills she needed to compete in triathlons. Hayes-Ramos attended a 30-minute one-on-one swim lesson for 11 weeks. “You can really learn a lot in 30 minutes,” said Hayes-Ramos. She was able to learn different skills from different instructors, “I got better in each lesson,” she said. With each lesson, she learned new skills, discipline and improved her stroke and breathing techniques.

“Particularly I have to work on the breathing,” she said. The swim instructors provided Hayes-Ramos with breathing techniques that she is able to practice on her own, like swimming strokes on certain sides. She began swimming on her own in her free time to have more time in the water practicing her newly learned techniques and strokes.

Hayes-Ramos has come a long way since her first swim lesson. She used the lane closest to the wall for support and because it was the most shallow. With a little help of instructors and her perseverance, Hayes-Ramos now swims with ease.

“I’m in the water all the time. I come to the pool just to practice,” said Hayes-Ramos. For Hayes-Ramos, it’s all about practice. She wants to stay in the water as much as she can to retain the skills she has learned. Hayes-Ramos uses the tools she learned in her lessons as part of her training regimen, using buoys, flippers and boards. “My technique is not the best, I’ve still got to practice. The drills really do help, you just have to do them. I’m still a work in progress,” she said.

She put her swimming skills to work and competed in her first indoor triathlon in Raleigh, NC  in January 2016. She started with an indoor triathlon to ease her way into the scene. She swam 10 minutes, cycled on a stationary bike for 30 minutes and ran 20 minutes on a treadmill. In October of 2017, Ramos set her goal even higher when she competed in her first outdoor triathlon. She competed in the Ramblin’ Rose in Chapel Hill, a triathlon exclusive to women to promote empowerment. The Ramblin’ Rose is a 250-yard swim, 8-9 mile bike ride, and 2-mile run. Her next triathlon will be the Three Little Pigs in Smithfield, NC in June 2019. Hayes-Ramos wants to race locally until she feels comfortable and then will take her skills nationwide.

Hayes-Ramos continues to train in her offseason. She knows she needs to stay in the water to keep her skills fresh. Hayes-Ramos has worked her way to the deep end of the pool. “The diving side is the best part. Not many pools in Raleigh are that deep,” said Hayes-Ramos. She now individually trains in the deep end and plans to do an open water triathlon in the future.

Hayes-Ramos is an inspiration to others, showing that with motivation and dedication any goal is attainable regardless of how long the fear has been present.  Hayes-Ramos had a goal to compete in triathlons and worked to attain that goal even if it meant conquering her fear of the water. Hayes-Ramos worked with our instructors and on her own to have the skills she has now to swim in the deep end and compete in the triathlons she was determined to take part in. Hayes-Ramos plans to return to swim lessons Spring 2019 to learn the final strokes she has not learned, and to perfect her breathing and technique.

Wellness and Recreation swim lessons are available, regardless of skill level.