NAGS HEAD, N.C. — Rita Seelig Ayers has been an athlete her entire life.
"I played varsity teams about every one that was available through my college years. I was actually recruited semi-pro volleyball, I was a rated tennis player," said Ayers.
While in her 40s, Ayers started having some strange symptoms.
"My eyes went funny, and my body hurt, and I got stiff real fast, and I didn't know what happened."
At 50, Ayers was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis. Understandably taking time to think about what navigating the new diagnosis was going to mean for the rest of her life.
"I kind of struggled for a year in terms of saying, what does this mean? Am I going to wind up in a wheelchair? What's going to happen?"
Ayers decided she wasn't going to let M.S. stop her from living her life.
"I said, You know what? This is crazy. I'm just going to live my life like I don't have a problem. I picked up running at 50 and and ran till I was 60. I was doing three to five half marathons a year, and my best time was actually down here at the Outer Banks Marathon."
For the past almost 14-years, the now 73-year-old picked up cycling. In recent years also adding swimming into her arsenal.
"A friend of mine said, why don't you come and cycle with the Silver Riders? I said, well, okay, I'll go cycle with the Silver Riders. I hadn't really ridden much before then, and I rode with them."
The OBX Silver Riders is a cycling group of seniors in the Outer Banks and where Ayers found a special community. Ultimately leading to the start of her eventual qualification for the National Senior Games, even placing and medaling at the competitions.
"I'm now at the point where I'm either placing or medaling in cycling when I do that."
Picking up swimming was her next step just a few years ago which found her at the Outer Banks Family YMCA. Another place where she found a community that supported and pushed her to be her best. Now qualifying and competing at this year's National Senior Games in Des Moines, Iowa for both cycling and swimming.
“Part of the whole Senior Games thing is that people support each other, so it makes a big difference to have people around who care and who help you continue to move forward.”
Ayers each day hopes that her story can help motivate others in their journeys
“I do want to use what I've been able to do to help other people realize that they can do more than maybe they think they can do, that they can reach and strive and accomplish more in their lives.”
Ayers plans to participate in the National Senior Games for as long as she can and do the same as a motivator for anyone out there.
