Unfavorable Weather Makes Ironman Tougher Than Usual

Every October, triathletes hope for a cool, windless day for the Ironman World Championship at Kailua-Kona, Hawaii. Once again that hope wasn’t realized.

Some said Saturday’s conditions were the toughest in the 22-year history of the race. Temperatures during the 112-mile bike leg hit 95 degrees in the lava fields and there were wind gusts up to 40 mph.

“It was definitely tough,” said Huntington Beach’s Pat Gleason, the first finisher from Orange County. “I think a lot of people got humbled out there. It was a hurricane pretty much. Nobody in California would go out and train in conditions like that. It was kind of scary.”

The side winds were especially dangerous; some athletes were blown off their bikes. Gleason, 39, managed to fight through, however, and finished in 10 hours 24 minutes 23 seconds. He was 267th overall out of 1,425 finishers, 33rd in the 35-39 age group.

Canada’s Peter Reid won the men’s race in 8:21:01 and Natascha Badmann of Switzerland won the women’s race in 9:26:17.

Gleason said he was happy with his performance considering what he was up against. “I didn’t let it defeat me,” he said.

Chris Johnson, a 50-year-old from Laguna Niguel who crossed the line in 10:57:06, was less pleased. It was his eighth consecutive Hawaii Ironman finish, but his second slowest time. He had hoped to challenge the leaders in his 50-54 age group, but finished seventh, nearly 24 minutes behind the winner.

“I knew at the turnaround boat in the swim that I was in trouble,” Johnson said. “I just didn’t have it.”

Johnson had gotten to Hawaii more than a week before the race to acclimate himself to the hot weather. He and fellow Ironman Kyle McNeil of Silverado Canyon brought a portable hyperbaric chamber that is supposed to oxygenate blood. Johnson also spent most of a day hanging around on a volcano at nearly 14,000 feet, hoping the altitude would cause his body to produce more red blood cells.

“I thought I had all these tricks ready to go,” Johnson said, “but they just didn’t work. I’m still scratching my head.”

Fourteen of the 15 Orange County residents entered finished the race. The others are: Dana Point’s Jay Hunter (309th place, 10:29:06), Laguna Beach’s Jack Boyster (552nd, 10:58:56), Newport Beach’s James Wells (394th, 10:40:32), San Clemente’s Dan McCluskey (528th, 10:55:39), Corona del Mar’s Gina Aubrey (558th, 10:59:47), Trabuco Canyon’s Kirk Waymire (709th, 11:22:03), McNeil (953rd, 12:10:29), Dana Point’s Kirk Matkin (12:46:50), Irvine’s James McPartland (1,206th, 13:27:05), Irvine’s Thomas Rollinger, (1,317th, 14:43:59), Huntington Beach’s Liz Richardson (1,344th, 15:12:00) and Corona del Mar’s Kory Burwell (1,395th, 16:17:16).

Mickie Shapiro, a 64-year-old two-time finisher from Costa Mesa, did not make the 10 1/2-hour cutoff on the bike leg. With 10 minutes to go, she was 12 miles from the finish, but was upbeat about her experience.

“I felt great,” she said, “I just don’t go fast enough.”

IRON CYCLIST

John Williams, 52, of Capistrano Beach, got on his bicycle Friday morning near Six Flags Magic Mountain and with only a few breaks in between stepped off at 8:30 Sunday evening in Twentynine Palms, after a 508-mile race across the desert.

Williams figures he spent only about half an hour off his bike during the Furnace Creek 508, including his only sleep break when he was getting drowsy about 60 miles from the finish.

“I said, ‘Wake me up in six minutes,’ ” Williams said.

With an elapsed time of 37:33:03, Williams finished 10th overall and second in the 50-and-older Masters division.

It was the fourth time Williams has completed the race, which cuts through Death Valley and includes 35,000 feet of total elevation gain. Andrew Bohannon of Sunnyvale won in 31:17:57. Thirty-seven solo riders started. Costa Mesa’s Perry Smith was one of 18 who did not finish.

Charles Graffice of Orange, Dan Crain of Irvine, Tom Parkes of Santa Ana and Dave Kessler of Santa Monica were fourth in the team race in 28:35:01.

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RECREATION CALENDAR

BICYCLING

Saturdays

* Orange Coast Velo cycling club meets at Worthy Park, 17th and Main Street, Huntington Beach. Rides vary from 25 to 50+ miles and begin at 7:30 a.m. with periodic regrouping and rest stops. After-ride socializing at Noah’s Bagels on Main Street. For further information call Jerry, (714) 960-4214 or Peter (714) 848-7618.

* Orange County Wheelmen training, 8 a.m., Food Park, MacArthur and Main, Irvine. Beginner and intermediate training group will ride and stay as a group. Informal lectures will cover stretching, nutrition and hill climbing. Led by Fred and Peg Bauer, (714) 997-0892.

* Bicycle Club of Irvine rides, 9 a.m., meet at Deerfield Park, Irvine. Three routes, 10-15, 15-25 and 25-35 miles, each with a stop midway for breakfast. Rides finish at about 11:30 a.m. Ride leaders Scott and Sandy Angle, (714) 960-4068.

* Velo Allegro Cycling Club meets at 8 a.m. at Long Beach Marina off Second Street for 24-mile ride at 14-18 mph pace. Those with paceline experience meet at 7:30 a.m. for warmup and speed training of up to 50 miles. Details: Julio, (562) 988-8117.

Sunday

* World Amateur Arm Wrestling Championships, hosted by the Southern California Arm Wrestling Assn., will start at noon at William Peak Park, 7225 El Dorado Ave., Buena Park. Entry fee for competitors is $23. Admission for spectators is free. Weigh-ins are Saturday from 5:30-6 p.m. and Sunday from 10-11 a.m. Details: (714) 841-1095.

ADVENTURE RACING

Today

REI’s Santa Ana store and Southern California Adventure Racing Buddies, the largest adventure racing club on the West Coast, presents a clinic on adventure racing. Join some club members, including club founder David Silverman, for this multimedia presentation. Come and meet this growing community of team-oriented adventure racers and see for yourself what it takes to participate. Free presentation starts at 7 p.m. Details: (714) 543-4142.

Jan. 9

* The Sierra Club will be offering a 10-week Wilderness Travel Course beginning in January. The class features 10 lectures plus four outings, culminating with a snow camp in the High Sierra. Some of the subjects covered are conditioning, navigation, rock-scrambling and winter backpacking. Space is limited. Details: (949) 496-6530 or https://angeleschapter.org/wtc

RUNNING

Oct. 28

* Balboa 5K Run for the Arts. Course on the Balboa Peninsula. Details: (949) 673-0895.

Oct. 29

* Heart & Sole 5k, 10k at the Irvine Spectrum Center. Benefits American Heart Assn. Details: (949) 856-3555.

Nov. 5

* Dinosaur Dash 5 and 10k starts at the Market Place in Tustin. Proceeds benefit Tustin public schools. Details: (714) 832-6299.