When Hillary Wool was diagnosed with ankylosing spondylitis (AS) in 2019, she made a decision to always stay active no matter what. The 33-year-old management consultant and disability-chronic illness advocate from New York City has not only stayed true to her word, she has done more than she could ever have imagined wheelchair racing, endurance races, and now, training for her first triathlon this summer despite the pain that might ensue afterwards.
“I’m really passionate about following an intense fitness routine,” she says. “What grounds me and keeps me going is having some control over an uncontrollable body. I try to always honor the commitment I made to staying strong.”