Marti Nansen

Nominated by Abby Haake

Sometimes the person who changes your path is someone you didn’t even know an hour earlier. That’s how Marti Nansen entered this story.

About a year ago, at a first triathlon, Marti volunteered to guide a complete stranger through their very first experience in the sport. He didn’t know them. He didn’t have to step up. But he chose to. He helped with fueling, offered encouragement, and coached Abby through the entire event. When things got hard, which they always do in a first triathlon, Marti kept the positivity alive. That single act made all the difference and helped turn a stressful day into something meaningful.

If there’s one word that describes Marti, it’s resilient.

Marti lives his life openly and honestly. He talks about his struggles with depression. He shares the hard days along with the good ones. Sometimes he simply asks people to give him a thumbs-up if they’re doing okay. In doing so, he creates space for others to feel seen and supported too. Even when he’s struggling himself, he’s still thinking about the people around him.

That selflessness shows up everywhere in his life. Marti volunteers every week teaching kids Taekwondo, helping them learn honor, integrity, and self-discipline. He mentors people entering triathlon for the first time, helping them not just physically but mentally as well. For beginner athletes, especially those who struggle with confidence, weight, or mental health, Marti helps them see something powerful: that they are capable of more than they think.

And he leads by example.

Marti completed an Ironman, an achievement that would intimidate most people. As a self-described plus-sized, older athlete, he embraces the very things some people might call flaws and uses them to inspire others instead.

Even when life throws new challenges his way, he keeps that same spirit. Recently diagnosed with Bell’s Palsy, Marti showed up to Taekwondo wearing a pirate patch, joking about it so the kids wouldn’t feel uncomfortable. That’s classic Marti, turning something heavy into something lighter for the sake of others.

He often reminds people that feelings are valid, but they don’t have to define the outcome. You can acknowledge the struggle and still keep moving toward the goal.

For Abby, Marti’s impact has come full circle. Inspired by the way Marti helped her through her first triathlon, she now find herself helping others in the same way. Answering questions, offering encouragement, and guiding new athletes through their own beginnings.

There was even a moment where Marti presented her with the Barbarian Award in a volunteer triathlon event designed to give first-time athletes a no-stress introduction to the sport. For someone who has walked through their own struggles, receiving that recognition from Marti meant everything.

If Marti were a running shoe, he’d be that old favorite pair, maybe past its expiration date, maybe a little worn down, but still the one you trust most. The one you always go back to.

Because that’s who Marti is.
A guide.
A mentor.
A reminder that even on the hardest days, you can still show up for someone else.

And sometimes, that’s exactly what a person needs to hear:

You deserve this, even when your soul tells you that you don’t.