Meet the Trumbull County child welfare supervisor leading local triathlon club
A Trumbull County child welfare advocate spends her off-hours training for triathlons alongside fellow northeast Ohio and western Pennsylvania athletes running toward the finish line together.
Kim Ruble is planning on retiring in the fall from a decades-long career as a supervisor for Trumbull County Children Services.
She works to help parents reunite with their children through the Ohio START program, and recently received the Ohio START’s Supervisor Career Award.
Ruble is also the president of the Steel Valley Triathlon Club, which was started in 2004. She first began triathlon training in the early 2000’s after being inspired by an Ironman broadcast.
“The sport of triathlon has been healing for me. It’s my outlet,” Ruble said.
Ruble is one of the ambassadors for Tri CLE, a nationally recognized triathlon.
Melanie Prohaska is the marketing and communications director for Tri CLE.
“Having Kim as an ambassador is amazing,” Prohaska said. “She embraces the Tri CLE spirit: welcoming, resilient, and inspiring. The fact that she’s building community in the Youngstown area while representing a race in Cleveland shows just how far her influence travels.”
Ruble also led a winter Zwift cycling series to help keep Mahoning Valley athletes motivated through the off-season.
With her retirement approaching in October, Ruble plans to spend even more time swimming, biking, running and giving back.
“We’re always capable of more than we think. Never give up, just keep going,” she said.
Learn more online about the fifth annual Tri CLE multisport celebration on Aug. 10 at Edgewater Park in Cleveland. There are distances available for all ability levels, and participants will swim at Edgewater Beach.
Tri CLE was named one of USA TODAY’s 10 Best Sprint Triathlons for 2024.
