Peggy Morris
Imagine what you think an average, low-key, 80-year-old grandmother would be like, and know the antithesis of it is Sue Brockhoff. She’s no couch potato, slow, or sit-on-the-sidelines type of girl. Yes, I said girl because she’s not an old lady! Read on, and you’ll find out about a girl named Sue!
You’ll find Sue in the Robson Ranch indoor pool four to five times a week—sometimes walking with a friend or not. Sue started out as she calls it “walking on water” to help with her chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). The moisture in the enclosed pool area helped! The exercise was a good benefit too! So when the Robson Ranch Try-a-Tri triathlon event came along, Sue was all pumped up and ready to assist wherever needed.
So now you’re asking, How did the Try-a-Tri come to be? Lois Moncel, Director of Fitness and Wellness at Robson Ranch Arizona (RRAZ), was approached by a resident to have a triathlon. So, Lois sent out a survey; and when the positive responses came back, she then asked for volunteers to help plan the event. Sue was on the planning committee giving her two cents. With Sue’s persuasive charms she also found volunteers for all types of duties, as the need for volunteers was great. Robson Ranch residents really stepped up to the plate to assist in the day’s activities and all the necessary preparations. Sue said the planning committee initially had expectations of a moderate-sized group. But, their expectations were far surpassed when 85 teams signed up for the competition. With the direction of Lois and her team, the event even received major television coverage on Arizona’s ABC News 15. John Campion, another RRAZ resident, and Sue were interviewed for two different news segments on the day prior to the Try-a-Tri.
Sue was asked by the TV news reporter, “Why do you want to participate?” Sue commented that she didn’t ever want to not be invited to something her family did because they thought Gigi (the family’s affectionate name for their Grandmother Sue) couldn’t do it! What a motivator, right?
Now what was next was to find the other two-thirds of her team. Sue found two friends of hers (Marian Furlong, as the team’s walker, and Scott Perkins, as the team’s biker) who were willing to participate in the other legs of the triathlon. They came up with the fabulous team name of “2 slow 2 win, 2 dumb 2 quit,” which, by the way, won Best Team Name at the competition. This trio went on to show how wonderful residents are here at the Ranch—supporting one another and having fun in the process was terrific!
This competition was a great community-building event, plus lots of families came to support their loved ones. Sue’s children came to cheer her on: Libby, who came from California for the event, and Sue’s son, Tripp, who lives in Arizona with his wife Shelli, and their two boys, Talon and Tayden.
By all reports the 2024 Try-a-Tri was a huge success! I know Sue can’t wait for next year’s event! She’s going to keep “walking on water.” See you at the pool!