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14 Friday, October 11, 1985
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THE DETROIT JEWISH NEWS
The Ironmen Cometh
Two Michigan Jews
will prove their
athletic prowess in
this month's grueling
Ironman Triathlon
in Hawaii.
BY HEIDI PRESS
Local News Editor
Dr. Rick DeRoven of Farmington
Hills and Dean Cohen of Grand
Rapids are either crazy, have a death
wish or are out to prove something.
Otherwise, why would they subject
themselves to a 2.4-mile swim in the
Pacific Ocean, bike through unfamil-
iar terrain for 112 miles and then a
26.2-mile run?
What the men and 1,248 other
athletes will participate in on Oct. 26
is the Bud Light Ironman Triathlon
World Championship, to be held in
Kona, Hawaii.
The annual event, which will be
broadcast by ABC Wide World of
Sports, must be completed by the
participants in 17 hours.
And the grand prize for finishing
this grueling extravaganza? Nothing.
Well, almost nothing. The
finishers win a T-shirt attesting to
their participation.
Certainly there must be some
greater reward for risking life and
limb — and heart, and muscles and
other body parts — for a T-shirt.
"I wanted to do something that
stood out from the crowd, that would
make me feel special for a few min-
utes out of my life," dentist DeRoven
said. "I wanted the personal satisfac-
tion and gratification from par-
ticipating."
College student Cohen wants to
participate "just for the glory of
finishing." A cyclist who competes in
bike races every weekend and an
avid racquetball player, Cohen
spends 15 weeks out of the year
traveling to triathlons and bike races
in other states.
According to Ultrasport maga-
zine, this battle of brawn, stamina
and sweat developed out of a barroom
dare to see which sport — running,
swimming or cycling L produced
"the best endurance athletes." A con-
test was devised, and the directors
jokingly dubbed the winner of the
event the Ironman.
In 1978, the founders created a
serious contest, complete with entry
blanks and fee, producing 15 contes-
tants and 12 winners. Each year the
fee, length of each event and number
of participants increased. By 1980,
108 persons enrolled.
By 1981, it was big stuff: ABC
covered it as a major sports event and
22 women joined in the excitement.
Bud Light joined as a sponsor in
1982, and the event was named the
Bid Light Ironman Triathlon. , This •
year 1,250' men and women will par-
ticipate.
Besides Cohen and Dr. DeRover},
other Michigan participants include
-
Dean ohen of Grand Rapids runs
from x to tin miles per day in
preparation for the contest in Hawaii.
Dody Burkey of Grand Rapids, Karen
Cross of Ann Arbor, Jim Curtis (an
Episcopal priest) from Fennville,
David Evans, Steve Garris and
Karen McKeachie of Ann Arbor,
Bernard Momber of Grand. Rapids,
Bob Pavlosld of Hudsonville, Daniel
Prasky of Centerline, Mark and
Teresa Rouse of Ann Arbor, Eric
Spanogle of Lansing and Steven
White of Kalamazoo.
There are four ways to qualify
for the Ironman Triathlon: past par-
ticipation, qualifying races, being a
foreign entrant and being picked
from a lottery. Cohen was chosen on
the basis of competing in qualifying
races. Dr. DeRoven chose the lottery
route, but how he really got picked is
a "fantasy" all its own.
Dr. DeRoven had learned about
an Arizona outfit called The Fantasy
Group. After receiving a fee, the
company sets out to help fulfill the
applicant's fantasy, as long as it's not
illegal, immoral or fattening.
This past spring, DeRoven sent a
ten-page, single-spaced, typed letter
to the directors of the company ex-
plaining his desire to participate in
the contest. On May 1, he got his ac-
ceptance, but didn't know if it was as
a result of the lottery, through which
he originally applied, or through The
Fantasy Group. He learned later that
it was through the efforts of The Fan-
tasy Group. - ,
After paying the $100 entry fee,
both DeRoven and Cohen began ex-
tensive training. Cohen's is a seven-
day regimen, three to five hours a
'day. However, in August he in-
creased his training time to six to
eight hours a day. He swims 2,000-
3,000 yards per day, bikes about 50
miles and runs from six to ten miles.
DeRoven's routine includes
swimming three times per week, bik-,
ing five days a week and running five
days a week. He rides a bike with the
Wolverine 'Bike Club of Hazel Park
with buddy 13rt Stein who interested
him in the group.
DeRoven left for Hawaii this
week to acclimate himself to the time
zone and heat. Cohen timed his arri-
val for two weeks before the contest's
start. Both will pay their own fares to
Hawaii. -
In addition to the physical train-
ing, both admitted good mental prep-
aration is a must.
"The -mental preparation is al-
most equally important," DeRoven
said. "You have to have, tremendous
mental discipline." Cohen said he
thinks about the race a la, and he
Continued on Page 16