Top triathletes

By Michael Gorman

THE VANGUARD

NovaNewsNow.com

Rhonda Cook has come a long way since her first triathlon eight years ago. In fact, you might say where she was then and where she is now are worlds apart.

Cook and Cindy Robicheau (Nickerson) attended the Ironman 70.3 triathlon in Newfoundland last week. Robicheau won her division, Cook was third in hers and they both qualified for the world championships in Florida this November.

For Cook, it was her first time at a race of this magnitude. She said it was overwhelming at times to prepare for the course, which features a 2-km swim, 90-km bike and 21-km run.

"It's just like what you see on TV," she said. "They peel the wetsuit off you after you come out of the water . . . Everything fell into place. I felt great. It was a really well organized race."

The field of almost 300 included athletes from around the world and professional racers, as well.

"To have 250-300 athletes going into the water at the same time — I've never been to a race that big," said Cook. "And it's like they told me, 'if you think this is big, wait until you go to worlds.'"

Entering the water in such a large crowd is cause for Cook to be a little anxious. Few things compare to the mass start of a triathlon where athletes jockey for position. It's pretty normal for people to catch hands, elbows or feet in the face as they try to find their own space. Cook said she does her best to avoid the chaos.

"I don't want to get hurt so I just kind of go to the side (of the group) and I have lots of room."

Dealing with the worries and pressures of her first race at this level was eased by the fact that Robicheau was also there, said Cook. Having Robicheau there, someone who's experienced racing on big levels and has attended events that Cook is going to for the first time, makes preparing much easier.

"Cindy was really good. Even the day before the race she was telling me where we were going to come out of the water and go into the change tents and where the run was going to be. Mentally, it's such a relief to know that before the actual day because it's overwhelming."

Robicheau, who won her category for the second year in a row, agrees that the magnitude of a race like Newfoundland can be an eye-opening experience.

"When you come from a small place like Yarmouth and you go to these larger races, it can be pretty intimidating," she said. "There are a lot of pro athletes and really fast athletes there and everybody sort of looks like they know what they're doing."

That being said, Robicheau is a veteran. She's attended seven world championships and, at this point, knows what to expect. In fact, the crowd in Newfoundland doesn't even phase her anymore compared to what awaits in Florida.

"When you start in the water with 2,500 people (that's) pretty intimidating."

Both Robicheau and Cook will be in the field this weekend at the annual YMCA triathlon. As they enter the water at Lake Ellenwood on Sunday the crowd will be much smaller than Newfoundland but the race will mean just as much.

The YMCA race is where Cook received her introduction to the sport eight years ago when she did the bike portion of the race as a team. To say she was green would be an understatement. In fact, her first time ever on a road racing bike was the day before that first race. Even then she knew it was for her. She spent the next year improving her swimming and from then on competed as an individual.

"I've been hooked ever since," said Cook.

For Robicheau, who will miss Florida due to another commitment, this weekend will mark her 20th year doing the Yarmouth race, a race she was inspired to try for the first time after seeing the sport on television.

"I thought that would be the ultimate challenge — to be able to swim, bike and run."

She threw herself into training and hasn't stopped since. Robicheau said she thinks one reason so many people are attracted to the sport — and the local triathlon, in particular — is that it instills a real sense of accomplishment in the participants.

"When you watch Ironman on TV it's just ordinary people who are able to do this extraordinary thing. I think it just tests your limits both mentally and physically and I think that challenge is what's attractive to a lot of people. Everybody can do it."