She loves the Kino and her favourite film to date is Mifuse a Scandinavian work that touched her heart. It is only when we asked the question of who she would have as her ideal dinner guests (the Dalai Lama, Paula Radcliffe, Mr. Bean & Lance Armstrong) and what her ideal day off ( a sunny day, a cycle from Cork to Kinsale… followed by a nice meal) that we begin to see a hint of her true colours. For Mary Cotter is an Iron Woman. She competes in Triathlons for the fun of it and is the first Irish woman to have taken part in the gruelling Iron Man competition in Nice, France.

CHALLENGE

The race consisted of a 3.8km swim, immediately followed by a 180 km cycle, with a 42.2 km run to finish. There was a 16 hour time limit. It must be added that all this was done in 40 degree heat. Mary and five of her club mates took up the challenge and in doing so Mary and Shane O Shaughnessy raised much needed funds for Our Lady’s Hospital for Sick Children.

Mary was not always involved in this kind of thing. Born and bred in Cork, she discovered the joy of running during a stint working in Little Island. Her boss used to run on his lunch break, and offered her the odds of a head start. From then on, the gap closed on each run.

IMPOSSIBLE

 Then one day, over ten years ago, whilst working in America, she noticed there was a women’s mini triathlon on in Long Island. She decided to enter. She came last, “but she had the bug after that”. It was the challenge that attracted her, the thought of taking on something that seemed “a little bit impossible”

When she moved home four years ago, she figured that was the end of the triathlons as there was no way she was getting into the Atlantic Ocean, but she was happily surprised to find a vibrant triathlon scene alive and kicking in Cork, so donning her wet suit, she plunged in and now say’s “I have never being more involved”. She trains with the Cork Triathlon Cub, and the whole thing is part of her life now, “nothing extra” she adds “I could imagine life without it”.

COMPETITION

Mary was one of 79 women who entered the 1,400 strong competition. She says the sport is gaining popularity amongst women, and attributes this to the fact that people relish the challenge and the feeling of self confidence to all the areas of life that participation brings, “anyone who puts their mind to it can finish it… all that is required is a bit of dedication”.

She herself changed her diet, and trained for six days a week for seven months, building up her stamina as the months progressed. Far from being a solitary process, she trained with the five other participants and is very grateful for the support and camaraderie that exists. Speaking of the run up before the event, she smiles fondly “we were like family”.

SURVIVED

Mary completed the course in 15 hours and 34 minutes. She tells me she had a dodgy start she muddled her French vocabulary, and found herself lining up unintentionally against the Elite swimmers, but she luckily survived her faux-pas. At one stage her quadriceps seized up , yet she still continued, taking the course “ mountain by mountain”, and heeding the best advice she got, “Go as far as you can for as long as you can”. Despite the fact that a race of this distance is most challenging of its kind (shorter triathlons do exist), she is keen to repeat the experience “In two years time I’d like to go back and try it again, and take an hour off my time”.

HEALTHY

It is clear that this sport brings a huge amount of satisfaction and pleasure to those involved. Triathlon clubs exist all around the country, and it’s not only a certain type of people that partake “Every career is represented… the only common denominator is that people are looking for a challenge”. Mary herself asserts that “training is a great coping skill” and a wonderful healthy way to pass time. Her only regret? “I wish I had discovered it earlier”

Written by Susan Renwick for the Oct 2005 edition of Cork Now magazine.