Follow Us | Forrest Stump

Whether she’s biking down the Pacific coast, taking her message to Washington, D.C., or climbing a volcano in Ecuador, Nicole is running around the world helping to elevate the voices of the disability community!

Check out Nicole’s latest posts and follow her @RunForrestStump:

runforreststump

I’ve shared my personal stance on #BlackLivesMat

I’ve shared my personal stance on #BlackLivesMatter and also know it’s important to share where we stand on this as an organization. #ForrestStump stands with Black Lives Matter. We believe Black Lives matter. We believe Black Disabled Lives matter. And we realize we must do better for ALL individuals with disabilities, especially #BIPOC, who are disproportionately disadvantaged. That's why we are answering the call from the National Alliance of Multicultural Disabled Advocates (#NAMD) and @kerigray90 for white-led disability organizations to actively engage in processes that build inclusion of all marginalized groups in our community. We are pledging to build an anti-racist organization that will support and serve every member of our beautifully diverse community. You can read our statement on #BLM via our newsletter. Link in bio!

#blackdisabledlivesmatter #disability #disabilityrights #blackdisabledlivesmatter♿ #amputee #healthcare #access #freetomove #runforreststump #freedom #justice #equality #nojusticenopeace #strongertogether #intersectionality

I’m an ambassador for the @outride Foundation wh

I’m an ambassador for the @outride Foundation which helps improve the lives of youth through cycling. 🚴🏿‍♀️🚴🏾‍♀️🚴🏽‍♀️ This month, we are using our platform to raise up BIPOC voices. I’m highlighting the incredible Leo Rodgers @slimone1000 and I hope you’ll join me in donating to the launch of his Foundation! Link will be included in my bio. 💪🏿💪🏾💪🏽💪🏼 #Repost
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Supremacy is perpetuated in many forms in our society, and it’s our duty to end it. ⁣
⁣
The same supremacy that favors the able-bodied over bodies like mine, also works to push down our BIPOC community and keep them from achieving equal opportunities in life. ⁣
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I am a disabled, lesbian woman, and so I understand the many forms supremacy can take. But I am also white and with that comes a responsibility and privilege to raise up other voices and fight to upend injustice in all forms that it takes. ⁣
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One voice I’d like to lift up is that of fellow amputee cyclist Leo Rodgers @slimone1000. Leo’s incredible story was recently featured in @bicyclingmag with a video of his tenacious, welcoming spirit. If you haven’t seen it, it is worth the watch! ⁣
⁣One thing about Leo that stuck out to me is how he uses his bicycle as his legs and main form of mobility; his amputation is so high on his left leg that it makes using a prosthesis very difficult and painful. (Yes, he cycles with just one leg!) I think that that, in and of itself, states the importance of cycling in a way you may never have realized. A testament to the “Outride” spirit. ⁣
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Leo recently formed the “Leo Rodgers Foundation.” I hope you’ll join me in making a donation to his Foundation, as well as to Outride, so that we can continue raising the voices of BIPOC and supporting communities through the power of cycling.⁣
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-Nicole Ver Kuilen, Outride Ambassador⁣
Paratriathlete & Founder of Forrest Stump⁣
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#outrideambassadors⁣⁣
#whatwillyououtride⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣
#ridingforfocus⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣
#morekidsonbikes ⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣
#moregirlsonbikes⁣⁣
#morediversityonbikes ⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣
#familiesonbikes

Thank you to everyone for the well wishes about my

Thank you to everyone for the well wishes about my leg! Your thoughts, positive energy, and prayers have been felt and have made the past couple weeks much more bearable despite the disruption in my mobility.
I did some mile long walks on my arm crutches (bike gloves and taped wrists did the trick!) and got in my first open water swim of the season (is anyone else afraid of seaweed? 😝😂🤣)!! A week and a half later, the swelling in my stump has finally gone down and I was able to get my leg on and walk again. So so so grateful for that! Those first few steps were bliss. I’m still having socket fit issues though and the pain has persisted.
I’ve had this socket/leg for 3 years and in that time I’ve been more active than I’ve ever been in my life. As a result, I’ve seen some changes to the shape of my stump, which has continued to atrophy year over year since I was a little 10 year old. Any little change, or the loss or gain of a few pounds, makes a difference for an amputee, so you have to be on it like a hawk! If you don’t, the result is what I experienced... basically the socket walls ramming into my bony little stump while putting a hundred plus pounds of pressure on it and causing some major bruising and discomfort to the point it said to me “No more! We’re not wearing that thing! Get it off!” So the message has been heard and now I’m working to remedy the situation. Very grateful to my partner @natharold who has been willing to make some adjustments to the socket and I’ll be going in to the clinic for more next week. Shout out to our favorite orgs who we are repping in the second pic in the workshop...they keep me and other athletes with disabilities active and included!! @team_catapult @cafoundation @dare2tri_
#runforreststump #swim #openwater #roka #lakewashington #seattle #swimming #justkeepswimming #swimmersofinstagram #triathlete #bike #run #amputee #disability #disabled #disabledathlete #disabilitysport #prosthetics #keepgoing #goals #nevergiveup #inspiration #tbt

Trying to stay positive and keep smiling despite b

Trying to stay positive and keep smiling despite being unable to use any of my prostheses currently! This really has put into perspective how much I rely on them and the enormous value they give my life. It’s definitely been a challenging few days so far with an unknown of what’s going on. A portion of my stump has swollen to the point I can no longer fit into any of my sockets and is extremely painful. We are thinking it’s either bursitis or a bone bruise caused by repeated trauma in the socket. Many thanks to my partner @natharold who has been such a support during all of this and has continued to make adjustments to my prostheses. I’m currently using hand crutches outside and a wheelie stool in my apartment to get around, which is kind of fun, but if I’m really being honest, it’s extremely challenging. Mad props to individuals who use this on a daily... teach me your ways and how to keep your wrists from hurting so much?? My training has gone out the door and it’s time to get creative. Swimming has always been a great option for when I’ve had leg issues in the past so I’m hoping to dust off my wetsuit and finally take my first swim since COVID-19 started. This will be an interesting week and I hope this will be healed up soon! It has definitely given me pause to reflect on all I am grateful for.
#disability #awareness #keepgoing #amputee #prosthetics #runforreststump #grateful #stump #run #bike #swim #triathlon #pivot #goals #iloverunning #runner #train #modify #staypositive #motivation #inspiration #change #perspective #mentalhealth #stayactive #bladerunner #disabilityawareness #disabilityadvocate #disabilityrights

“First and foremost, it’s critical for every A

“First and foremost, it’s critical for every American to stop saying terms like, ‘I’m not racist.’ And I think it’s critically important for Americans to admit the racist ideas that they have likely been raised to believe. It’s critically important for Americans to admit the racist policies they’ve supported that have led to inequality and injustice and death. And it’s critically important for them to admit the times in which they were being racist because there’s no way they can change themselves if they’re still in that denial.

So to be anti-racist is to admit when we’re being racist. And then not only that admission, but then we challenge those racist ideas. We adopt antiracist ideas that say the problem is power and policy when there is inequity, not people. And then we spend our time, we spend our funds, we spend our energy challenging racist policy and power.” #ibramxkendi #howtobeanantiracist

#blackouttuesday

Today is the last day of May and I’m proud to sh

Today is the last day of May and I’m proud to share I reached my 100 running miles #MobilityMay goal for #ROMP100! Definitely a cause to celebrate and also share how proud I am of my teammates, family, and friends who also set some amazing mobility goals this month and crushed them!!! Special shout out to my dear friend @sofster91 and her husband Yudi who together walked 100 miles in preparation for Sof’s upcoming due date!! She pushed through the constant bathroom breaks, swollen ankles, and uncomfortableness in order to join our team in supporting mobility for amputees everywhere. I am so proud of her and so grateful for her friendship! Thank you all for the support this past month, we did it! Love you all.
#ROMP100 #runforreststump #amputee #access #run #bike #swim #running #runner #iloverunning #runnersofinstagram #goals #keepmoving #prosthetics #runningblade #bladerunners #neverquit #keepgoing #proud #crushedit

#womancrushwednesday and #happybirthday goes to my

#womancrushwednesday and #happybirthday goes to my number one adventure partner @natharold! I’m so lucky to have such a beautiful, caring, smart, and funny woman to love. The quote “two are better than one” could not be more true; she makes me better in every way. We’ve done some pretty grand adventures together that I never thought in a million years I’d be able to do! 🌋🏊🏼‍♀️🚴🏼‍♀️🏃🏼‍♀️🦿🌲🥇Nat has encouraged and supported me to the ends of the earth. This day is for you!! Love you Nat! Happy Birthday! 🎈🎉 #happybirthday #partner #lgbtq #love #loveislove #bestfriend #adventure #runforreststump #girlfriend #xoxo #athlete #swim #bike #run #triathlon #beach #mountain #cotopaxi #mountain #sandy #amputee #prosthetic #inspire

Shout out to all the Team C A T A P U L T runners

Shout out to all the Team C A T A P U L T runners completing the Texas Independence Relay this weekend including @phtptxclsv and @aaron_scheidies!! My shadow and I are cheering you on from afar! Being part of Catapult’s Sponsored Athlete Program this past year has been an incredible opportunity to connect with athletes just like me. I’m so thankful for their support of me, helping to fund my travel and competition expenses. Catapult is doing amazing work for our community and I’m proud to be a part of their mission. I’m also super excited to share that I will be a sponsored athlete for 2020 for Catapult! 💪🏾💙🖤🦿Although this race season is not what we expected, we are still making the most of it and finding new ways to train, inspire, and stay active. Thank you Catapult! 🙏🏽 @team_catapult
#teamcatapult #sponsoredathlete #texasindependenceday #run #bike #swim #triathlon #runningblade #runforreststump #iloverunning #runner #runnersofinstagram #running #prosthetic #disability #access #policy #move #goals #stayactive #train #trainhard

If you’ve been following, my goal for #MobilityM

If you’ve been following, my goal for #MobilityMay has been to run 100 miles. What I didn’t know is that I’d be adding another goal to that list... a century ride!

When my friend, Forrest Stump teammate, and co-captain @deepal9 asked if I would help her complete her May goal (a 100 mile one day ride) I immediately said “I’m in.” Doing a century ride is a lot of fun, but it’s much better when you have people with you. With COVID-19, that has definitely limited our ability to have adventures with others. But I also knew I didn’t want Dee going out on the road alone, and doing 100 miles on a trainer by yourself would be torture. So today, we went out, stayed safe, and had a grand adventure!

Although it rained and hailed on us for the first 80 miles, and we were in a semi-hypothermic state, we were all smiles and laughs. It felt really nice to be out in nature and have some semblance of normalcy, even if just for a little bit. Our ride even had a purpose! We found a disposed hand gun on the side of the road and notified authorities who immediately handled the situation. We completed our final 20 miles on the trainer, which honestly felt twice as long as the first 80...😝😂 And there was even a rainbow waiting for us as a celebration at the end. 🌈
Super proud of Dee and glad we were able to accomplish this together.

#ROMP100 #RunForrestStump #rompglobal #lifewithoutlimitations #ossur #oregon #colmbiarivergorge #centuryride #biking #cycling #cyclists #welovebiking #triathlon #swim #bike #run #triathletes #goals #pushyourself #rain #nature #water #beauty #optoutside

50 miles down, 50 miles to go on my way to 100 tot

50 miles down, 50 miles to go on my way to 100 total running miles for #MobilityMay with @rompglobal! I am starting to feel the gains this month and have felt really good and really strong on my runs. Ready to set some big goals with this blade! Additionally, our team has raised $1,115 towards our $1,500 goal for May. We are so close!! Thank you to all who have donated and continue to support our #TeamForrestStump. We are shifting gears and developing something really cool we are excited to announce in the coming weeks! Life has given us lemons 🍋 and we are making some #legit lemonade. Please continue to support us and cheer us on, it really does mean the world 🌍 to us. My teammates have some pretty awesome goals themselves, so let’s cheer them on too:

@mallorieruns is doing 40 miles and 60 pike burpees 🏃🏽‍♀️
@deepal9 is doing a one day century ride 🚴🏼‍♀️
@linagarada is doing 100 foot miles with minimum of 15 running and the rest intentional active recovery like walking and hiking 🥾
@jamiebrowntri is putting in 100 running miles in May 🏃🏻
@hkstrickler_sportsrd is doing 100 KB swings every day, completing a total of 100 hand stand push ups in the month of May, and swimming a total of 100 miles between now and the Hood to Coast relay! 🏋🏼‍♀️🤸🏼‍♂️🏊🏼‍♀️
@natharold is running/walking 100 miles, sewing 100 face masks, and raising $250 😷
@stephharold is running 100 miles, doing 100 push ups per day, and sewing 100 face masks! 🧵💪🏾 Super motivated by this incredible team working hard to achieve their own personal goals while also pushing Forrest Stump’s mission forward. Thank you for your support!

#ROMP100 #MobilityMay #ForrestStump #RunForrestStump #goals #pushyourself #athlete #triathlon #swim #bike #run #lifewithoutlimitations #neverstop #dontquit #iloverunning #runner #runnersofinstagram #runninglife #runningmotivation #runningismytherapy #COVID19

“To get through the hardest journey we need take

“To get through the hardest journey we need take only one step at a time, but we must keep on stepping.” #chineseproverb

A lot of changes this past week, including finding out the Hood To Coast Relay @htcrelay has officially been cancelled for 2020 due to COVID-19. This is incredibly disappointing for our team; we all had our minds set on racing this iconic PNW beauty together, in person in August. Although we can’t replace the event in the capacity it would have been, we can certainly recreate something of our own. I am inspired by our team’s collective ability to bounce back and push forward. We are already planning our next steps and we most certainly will not give up. We are more determined than ever to continue to stay active and share our mission with the world. Thank you to all who have donated so far, your funds will be put straight to use for #ForrestStump and we are excited to share what that will look like in the coming weeks! Today, more than any day, I am reminded every journey begins with a single step and it is up to us to decide to take it.

#keepmoving #pushforward #goals #together #bounceback #athlete #covid19 #hoodtocoast #relay #oregon #change #swim #bike #run #triathlon #persevere #virtual #runforreststump #resilient #adaptive #challenge #overcome #overcomeobstacles

Happy Mother’s Day to “the best mom in the wor

Happy Mother’s Day to “the best mom in the world!” 😊 True in 1999, and in 2020! You’ve always made me feel seen, heard, and loved. Life’s greatest gift! I am thankful for having a feminist mom like you who has always taught me to stand up for myself and others. Missing you this Mother’s Day and wishing we could watch one of our favorite #womanpower classics together “Fried Green Tomatoes,” “A League of Their Own”, or sing together to “The Sound of Music.” 🤩 Looking forward to our next hike together in Northern Michigan. Love you mom!

#mom #mothersday #loveyou #adventure #beautiful #missyou #feminist #love #hero #active #outside #optoutside #athlete #swim #bike #run #hike #advocate #socialdistancing #covid_19 #michigan #torchlake #hiking #woods #nature #quote #memories

First #ForrestStump @htcrelay team call in the boo

First #ForrestStump @htcrelay team call in the books! Literally the highlight of my day being able to chat with these incredible people. So many laughs, smiles, and good fun. An amazing team already in the making. Having this community right now means the world to me during this challenging time. Fingers crossed we will all be stuck in a smelly, sweaty van together soon! 😛💪🏽 We are each committing to our own #MobilityMay challenge this month, to “Do 100, Raise $100” with @rompglobal. Excited to share each of our goals with you in the weeks to come. Thanks for your support and encouragement of our team! We are 60% of the way to our fundraising goal for the month, can you help support? Link in bio!

#goals #run #running #teamwork #hoodtocoast #zoom #covid19 #challengedathletes #adaptive #disability #fundraise #runnersofinstagram #virtual #socialdistancing #training #athlete #pushyourself #goal #mobilitymay #ROMP100 #runforreststump #mobilityforall #raisethebar

18.9/100 miles down towards my running goal this m

18.9/100 miles down towards my running goal this month! Thinking back to when I had just my walking leg, there was no way I could put in this amount of mileage. Goals like these would have left me with a broken prosthesis and severe back pain. I’m so thankful for my @ossur running blade and I know other amputees echo the incredible benefits of having a running specific prosthesis. My mobility is my life and setting goals like these is what truly drives my fire. Proud of my #ForrestStump teammates who are making it happen for @rompglobal’s #MobilityMay and training hard for #HoodToCoast2020! They are not only incredible athletes, but advocates for better access to physical activity for the disability community. Thanks to all of you for cheering us on and your support of our fundraising goal this month! Your support is so appreciated. If you can help, please consider donating to our hardworking team. Your funds drive our miles!! Link in bio. Thank you! 🙏🏽 🏃🏽‍♀️👨🏾‍🦽👨‍🦯🧑‍🦽🦿 #runner #run #running #iloverunning #train #triathlete #athlete #triathlon #swim #bike #mobility #goals #runforreststump #raisethebar #keepgoing #pushyourself #nevergiveup #motivation #transformation #consistency #catapult #ossur #lifewithoutlimitations #usaparatriathlon #runnersofinstagram #rompglobal

You know it’s a good run when you can pour out t

You know it’s a good run when you can pour out the sweat after! 💦 Day 1 of #ROMP100 challenge for #MobilityMay is in the books. A solid 5.35 miles around the track today, workout courtesy of coach @jamiebrowntri 🤙🏽😝. Looking forward to 100 miles in May, one at a time! Thanks to those of you who have already donated and/or joined our team! Please consider supporting our Hood To Coast team as we up our training game this month. $5, $10, $25, $100... any amount helps! Thank you! (Link to donate in bio)

#sweat #amputee #puttinginthework #run #runner #runnersofinstagram #disability #access #technology #triathlete #usatriathlon #usaparatriathlon #prosthetic #iloverunning #rompglobal #gratitude #support #goals #keepgoing #runforreststump #neverquit #equalrights #disabilityrights

A year ago my friend @deepal9 said to me “How co

A year ago my friend @deepal9 said to me “How cool would it be to bring together a team of adaptive athletes to run Hood To Coast (HTC)!?” Not knowing much about HTC, I was instantly gripped when I found out it was the largest running relay in the world... a grueling 24-hour straight 200 mile race from Mt Hood to the Oregon Coast... which draws in over 12,000 runners each year! After a bit of research I was quick to find out that not many athletes with disabilities have done HTC, let alone an entire team at once. Our athletes would make up less than 1% of the entire racers. We knew we had to make our mark, and this would be an opportunity for #ForrestStump to expand its group of advocates. So we entered the lottery (which is notoriously hard to get into) and were shocked when we found out we got in on the first try! We were ecstatic, and immediately got to work building a team of athletes who demonstrated grit, perseverance, positivity and teamwork. Because we’d be spending 24 hours together, in vans, in less than ideal conditions, all while racing our hearts out, we knew these individuals would have to be pretty special and pretty crazy to join us. I’m excited to announce that team here! Each person has an incredible story and is an advocate in their own right.
Of course with COVID-19, there is a lot of uncertainty about race day happening on August 28, 2020. BUT, I do know that in this crazy time, despite so much uncertainty, we still have control of how we adapt, what we put our minds to, and how we persevere forward together. This team WILL RACE in some capacity, and in so doing we will call attention to the need for equitable access to physical activity for athletes like us.
Our team is kicking off this month in May by joining @rompglobal in their #ROMP100 Challenge for #MobilityMay! We will each be committing to “Do 100, Raise $100” for our team. My goal is 100 miles of running in May! Will you join us? Will you support us? Your donation is greatly appreciated and we look forward to sharing more about our team and crushing our goals in the weeks to come. Thank you!!! Donation link in bio. 🙏🏽🔥🦿 #runforreststump #raisethebar #mobilityforall

Did a little cross training today. 😂 📸 cred:

Did a little cross training today. 😂 📸 cred: @stephharold
#hopscotch #chalk #chalkart #runforreststump #quarantine #triathlon #swim #bike #run #play #triathlete #keepmoving #amputee #prosthetics #smile #havefun #runner #laugh #makelemonade #keepgoing #headup #crosstraining #kidatheart

“I am a strong woman because a strong woman rais

“I am a strong woman because a strong woman raised me.” Happy Birthday to my amazing mom, Jan! Anyone who knows my mom knows how kind, caring, and compassionate she is! Very few know her story like I do and the tremendous obstacles she has endured over her life. The injustices could have made my mom a bitter person, but she has always risen above it and chosen love and forgiveness. She has shown me what a true leader is and should be, how to harness our emotions for good, take responsibility for our actions, and to recognize the humanity in everyone. She is truly a real life super hero. I am incredibly lucky to call her my mom!
#happybirthday #loveyou #mom #mymom #birthday #celebrate #fierce #fiercewomen #advocate #leader #woman #runforreststump #advocacy #hero #superhero

Happy 15th Birthday to @rompglobal! 🥳🏔 Tomor

Happy 15th Birthday to @rompglobal! 🥳🏔 Tomorrow I’ll be taking over ROMP’s Instagram in celebration of their birthday and #limblossawarenessmonth, so come on over to hear some stories! Traveling to Ecuador and climbing #cotopaxi among a team of amputees was one of the most transformative experiences of my life! I am so grateful to ROMP for each and every human they empower through their community and prosthetic access. When @natharold and I first arrived to Ecuador we went to one of the highest points in Quito, called El Teleferico, to get an amazing view of the city and acclimatize. While we were there, this kind woman and man came over to us to ask me about my prosthesis. Little did I know, the woman was an amputee too...until she lifted up her dress to show me her leg with a big smile. We were instantly bonded despite being from different countries and speaking different languages. She said she needed help getting a better prosthesis so we instantly referred them to ROMP. It was divine intervention! ROMP is truly changing lives and I’m proud to be a small part of their incredible mission.

See you tomorrow!
#ROMP #instagramtakeover #spreadhopenotgerms #ecuador #prosthetics #access #limbloss #amputee #healthcare #ecuador #athlete #mountains #hiking #healthcare #mobility #freetomove #justkeepmoving #human #giveback #helpothers #rangeofmotionproject

Feeling really grateful right now, but questioning

Feeling really grateful right now, but questioning our healthcare system more than ever. I had an emergency tooth extraction earlier this week due to an abscessed tooth and rampant bacterial infection. I’ve known about the abscess for months but have put off dealing with it because I didn’t want to face the major medical expense that would come with taking it out. Thankfully, my partner @natharold realized the fever, pain, and foul odor coming from my tooth was not something I could continue to put off and encouraged me to get it out immediately. That we would figure something out together. Without care, the infection was at risk of spreading to my jaw and other areas of my head, and potentially developing into sepsis. Luckily, Nat has a great connection with a dentist she’s seen for 20+ years who was willing to see me despite their clinic being closed due to COVID. It wasn’t exactly how I imagined my social distancing going... having someone stick their hands in my mouth... but I’m so incredibly grateful that it’s out and I’m on antibiotics. But now comes the harder part: planning and paying for a $4,000 implant in the next 6 months that is not covered by my insurance. I don’t say this to ask for help, but to show as an example the flaws in our healthcare system. The decisions and sacrifices people must make to put their health first. I just wonder... if my parents had not had the financial capacity or insurance to amputate my leg, would they have put it off for months? Risking further cancer spread and death? How many people in our country put off their health because of money? I should know better than anyone to not put off these serious issues, and yet I found myself in the same trap. Forrest Stump has been an incredible passion of mine, but it has come at a severe financial sacrifice over the past 3 years. It’s because of expenses like these that I wonder if I can continue on. I wonder how many more entrepreneurs, dream chasers, and glass ceiling breakers would exist out there if it weren’t for the astronomical expense of healthcare, and the financial devastation that comes with it.

#covid19 #reallife #healthcare #struggle #amputee #access #advocacy #human

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