By Robert Luckock
SIMPSON BAY--Team Nicole Erato is expecting great things from the young athlete when she takes on her next challenge, a Half Ironman in Chattanooga, Tennessee, on May 21, 2017, and much of that confidence has to do with a new bike, and not just any bike.
Nicole was in Tri Sport recently to get a glimpse and preliminary fitting of this new machine that is going to propel her to greater speeds. It’s the real deal, a top-of-the-line all-carbon triathlon bike with electronic shifting, and a hi-tech aerodynamic design that’ll cut through the wind as sharply as Keanu Reeves taking flight in the Matrix.
“Apparently I’m supposed to be two to three kilometres per hour faster with this bike,” says Nicole excitedly.
It’s amazing to think that up to now, in her last three biggest races, two Half Ironman’s in Puerto Rico and her most recent success in the St. Croix Half Ironman on May 7, she has made do with a run-of-the mill road bike.
The 70.3 in St. Croix is ranked as one of the hardest because of the notorious climb called “The Beast.” Nicole not only won her 25-29 age category in that event with a time of six hours 10 minutes but finished fifth overall out of some 100 female athletes.
A 70.3 Ironman comprises a 1.9 kilometre swim, 90 kilometre bike and a 21.1 kilometre Run (half marathon).
2016 was the break-out year for this 26-year-old whose softly-spoken demeanour belies a burning passion for triathlons, so much so that 2017 now revolves completely around training and competing.
It was in March this year that she qualified for the World Triathlon Championships at the Half Ironman in Puerto Rico. The Worlds will take place in Chattanooga, Tennessee, on September 9 and 10.
To have the World Championships beckoning would have been unheard of two years ago, but it shows just how far Nicole has come in a very short time.
“Before, I was doing local races like the mini-triple triathlons and bikes races, but all for fun. But now for the first time I’m taking it seriously, to be more competitive and to get on the podiums,” she explains. “When I qualified for the Worlds that was when I knew I had potential and could take it further.”
That has led to Nicole linking up with two coaches, her on-island coach Cayley Mackay and Scott Layton who is based in the USA. Scott’s coaching is done by email. He puts together her schedule, advising her on the type, frequency and duration of her work-outs.
“Then I do the work outs with her, pacing her on a bike while she’s running, or I’m in a kayak while she’s swimming,” says Cayley. “And I put together her trips and competitions.”
The bike segment is Nicole’s strongest and favourite discipline but she’s happy to say that her swimming and running have also greatly improved to the extent they are now “enjoyable.”
“Swimming was my least favourite but after a week of coaching in Florida I’m starting to love it.”
Cayley explained that Nicole was getting noticed with her podiums and the decision was made at the beginning of 2017 to start taking it seriously, to see where it goes.
“Since Puerto Rico it has just exploded. In just three months of putting in the work she’s gone from way down the line, to qualifying for the Worlds. She’s travelled to major international races every month, and either won or got on the podium for all of them.”
As for the discipline of training, Nicole discloses she puts in 20 hours a week. She admits she’s a health freak and always eats healthy plant-based foods.
“To be honest it’s harder for me to go for a day without training because it’s become such a habit and part of my life. On rest days I feel a bit lost and don’t know what to do with myself.”
According to Cayley, Nicole definitely has the potential to become professional.
“After this year and depending on her rankings within Ironman, she may be able to become what’s called an “all-world athlete.” That means you are in the top 10 per cent of athletes in your age category. Within that she can apply for all world athlete status. Once she has that, she still has to make sure her times are where they need to be, and to have won or placed in a certain amount of races. Then she can apply for the Pro Card. With the Pro Card she is taken out of age categories but has the opportunity to win prize money and get true sponsorship.
“My guess is that with the growth we are seeing Nicole can be professional in one or two years from now. To be five months in and for her times to be where they are is just staggering. The potential is huge. It seems unreal at the rate it is going.”
Events coming up for Nicole include the Boardwalk Triathlon on June 4, possibly an Olympic distance event in Guadeloupe on June 23, a training camp in Colorado in July, and road training in Charlotte, North Carolina, for two weeks in July.
The reason for the latter, Cayley explains, is because Nicole needs to have roads free of traffic or with a bike lane so she can put a good five hours in on the bike, unimpeded.
August will be focussed just on training, the Worlds are in September, and October is the Aruba Challenge.
Nicole needs sponsors and has set up a Go Fund Me website
www.gofundme.com/nicoleironman that is helping to fund airline tickets, race fees, hotels, etc.
For more information about Nicole Erato and her triathlons check out her website www.nicoletrisxm.com .
