On June 23, 12 Dartmouth Club Triathlon Team members and four alumni competed in the Cohasset Triathlon, a sprint triathlon race hosted annually in Cohasset, Mass. Despite the rainy conditions, all 16 Dartmouth participants successfully completed the race, while three finished on the podium in their age groups.
Dartmouth participants joined more than 1,300 athletes in the triathlon, which consisted of a quarter-mile swim, 12.1 mile bike and a 3.2 mile run. According to club team coach Katie Clayton ’18 — who participated in the triathlon and placed first in her age group — completing the race at all is an accomplishment.
“Just someone crossing the finish line is a big deal,” Clayton said. “We also had some alums reach the podium for their age group, which also speaks to the deep talent of the team.”
According to Clayton, the triathlon team competes in at least one race each season in New England, training throughout the year with various drills and exercises to simulate the race environment. The team is also responsible for organizing their own transportation to races.
“We coordinate getting vans and we have a trailer for our bikes, and then we have to figure out accommodations,” Clayton said. “It’s a lot of fun and is something that the team has been doing for a long time.”
A lot goes into these races for the tri team, both on and off the course. Michael del Sesto ’23 Th ’24, who placed second in Men’s 20-24, said each race requires logistical and mental preparation.
“Usually, the team goes up and stays overnight,” del Sesto said. “We’ll wake up early, go to the course, check in, set up bikes and transition stations, stretch and wait together at the starting line until our wave is called.”
No matter the course or conditions that face this team, they get it done. The Cohasset Triathlon spans the Sandy Beach coast, its swim portion of the race taking place in the open ocean. According to Clayton, these conditions presented a unique challenge for the team, which infrequently practices in open water.
Katie Fearon ’23, a tri team alumna who finished third in her age group on June 23, described Cohasset’s waters as “intimidating.”
“Open water swimming can be scary and uncomfortable,” she said. “Everyone did a great job with that.”
Moreover, many tri team members join the team with running, swimming or biking experience, but rarely all three.
Abbi Fisher ’23, who finished first in her group — the same age group as Fearon — said she swam in high school but did not have extensive cycling experience. She said she adapted to the team’s learning curve by leaning into the experience of her teammates.
“Compared to running and swimming, [cycling] can be intimidating because there’s a lot of gear and you have to learn bike-handling skills,” Fisher said. “But the team does a good job of offering introductory level practices for people who don’t have those skills.”
Clayton added that, historically, the club has acted as both a teaching and a practicing space.
“The two [members of the Class of 2015, Nina Mascia ’15 and Sara Heard ’15] that started [the club] were awesome,” Clayton said. “They really just met everyone where they were at, and the coaches were also really helpful.”
Great coaching, friends and competitors were the foundation of the team in 2015, and these factors continue to hold the group together — even as members move on from their time as students at Dartmouth. Many on the tri team return to race after graduation due to the strong sense of kinship they maintain. Fearon said this group spirit led her to return for another race after her graduation last spring.
“Overall, there is a really great energy from the team and a great sense of community,” Fearon said. “[The fact] that the team can show up to these events with a strong presence is something super special about the club.”
