KAILUA-KONA — Christine Conti will partake in her fourth full Ironman today, but her experience will be a little different from the rest of the competitors.
The New Jersey-based chronic disease wellness specialist will be serving as a race guide for two competitors with disabilities during the 140.2-mile journey on water, bicycle and foot. The fitness veteran will be racing with Ashley Norton — who deals with multiple sclerosis — and overseeing Marlynne Stutzman, who will be the first woman with autism to compete.
Conti will be representing the esteemed “1% Better” foundation, which helps guide people with disabilities in staying more active.
“No one cares if I finish in 10,12 or even 16 hours,” she told West Hawaii Today. “So why not give help to someone who really needs it?”
As a race guide, Conti will be side-by-side with her clients throughout the course’s entirety for support, encouragement and assistance with anything they need. Although she’ll be officially timed, Conti views herself as an unofficial entry.
“This is all about (my clients) — I want them to get to that finish line,” she said. “And if I can be a teeny part of their journey to help them be more successful, then that’s awesome.”
Conti’s story of giving back has come full circle. As a former collegiate athlete, she began her professional career as an investment banker and English teacher, but wanted something more out of life. Already having multiple fitness certifications, Conti began doing side hustles of being a personal trainer and traveling with fitness companies around the world.
But Conti received life-altering news nearly a decade ago. At 30 years old, she was diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis, an autoimmune condition that has run in her family. Symptoms of the disease include aching, stiffness, tenderness and swelling in multiple joints.
“It’s really crippling and debilitating — and it also affects your organs,” Conti explained “In the beginning, I couldn’t use my hands.”
Having to deal with chemotherapy to treat the disease, Conti made a bucket list of things she wanted to accomplish to bring more positivity into her daily routine. Staying more active — such as participating in marathons and triathlons — was at the top of her list.
“What I’m really training for is life — because if I stop, my body’s not going to be able to keep going,” Conti said.
Despite the challenges of dealing with rheumatoid arthritis, Conti began training for triathlons — trying exercises and regimens she had never done before. While the experience of trying new things was exciting, Conti admitted the journey was difficult, especially in the beginning of training.
“I had a nervous breakdown when I first started swimming in open water,” Conti joked. “But I started swimming a little more each time and started seeing big improvements.”
After training for seven months for the 2018 Ironman in Lake Placid, Conti had been chemo-free and in prime shape to conquer the race until she received more troubling news. Conti’s symptoms resurfaced and she was sick again, forcing her to go back to chemo for additional treatment.
Although it was a big setback, Conti wasn’t going to allow her condition to stop her from reaching her triathlon goals.
“I went from Ironman training, to Ironman training on chemo,” she recalled. “I could’ve sat there and felt bad about myself and said, ‘God, poor me,’ but that’s not who I am. If I’m gonna go out there, I’m gonna go down swinging.”
Conti continued to train just as she was before, undergoing her last round of chemo one week before the big race. She completed the Ironman in inspiring fashion, and hasn’t received chemo since. Conti then went on to race the 2019 Maryland Ironman and 2022 Tennessee Ironman. She’s also run in over 50 marathons and completed a 100-mile running race.
“I swore to myself that every year that if I was healthy enough to do it, then I would do it,” she said.
But Conti wanted something more out of these experiences rather than just competing — she wanted to help people who go through similar circumstances reach their goals. Conti then started being involved in marathons as a pacemaker.
While working the Boston Marathon in 2022, she connected with Chris Nikic, an amateur triathlete with down syndrome and the founder of 1% Better. In 2020, he became the first person with down syndrome to complete an Ironman.
After befriending Nikic, Conti offered to be a guide for his next race. Nikic accepted, and the pair raced the Ironman 70.3 Eagleman in Maryland together this past June. From there, Conti’s journey as a race guide began — setting the framework for her next voyage in Kona this weekend.
“I feel like these are my people; this isn’t about me,” Conti said. “This is about how I can help. I don’t need to be recognized as an individual, but I want this cause to be recognized.”
Conti has since left her previous professions in becoming a full-time chronic disease wellness specialist, helping others through online programs, in-person meetings and traveling to hospitals and other medical facilities. Conti has helped people with multiple sclerosis, arthritis, lupus, Parkinson’s and Lou Gehrig’s disease. She is also a motivational speaker and has overseen fundraisers for 1% Better.
Conti’s recent contributions to the fitness and chronic disease management spheres won her the 2023 IDEA Fitness Instructor of the Year award, one of the highest-regarded honors in the field.
She also released her book, ‘Split Second Courage: What if Your Fears Were the Key to Your Dreams?’ in 2022 — which highlights condition management, diet, nutrition information and tips for staying active and working out. Conti additionally hosts the health and wellness podcast, “Two Fit Crazies and a Microphone.”
“I feel like everything I’m doing now is for a reason,” Conti said. “I always say that your goal in life is to find your gift, and your purpose is to give it away.
“I was lucky enough to be gifted with a chronic disease at age 30 in that I was able to have the empathy for other people to keep doing this. These people had a lot of adversity as children — they’ve been written off and deal with a lot of negativity. So giving them the ‘yes you can do this’ mindset is really important.”
Regardless of how long it takes to complete the race this weekend, Conti wants nothing more than a positive and memorable experience for her clients. With an already established relationship and formed trust with both Norton and Stutzman, Conti is confident that will happen.
“It’s not about your time — it’s about finishing,” she said. “We’re gonna have a bond for the rest of our lives after those 17 hours together or whatever it may take us, and I’m here to enjoy the moment.”
