There is no easy road to the Ironman World Championships in Kona, Hawaii. But Joshua Monda’s route to the world’s premiere triathlon was tougher than most.
The 38-year-old from Vancouver endured temperatures of 100 degrees at the Ironman Coeur d’Alene on Saturday in Idaho.
Monda overcame persistent cramping to finish 68th overall — completing a 2.4-mile swim, 112-mile bike ride and 26.2-mile run in 10 hours, 14 minutes and 40 seconds. That earned him one of the event’s 200 qualifying spots to Ironman Kona on Oct. 9.
Monda was 20th in his division when he exited the swim portion of the event. His first issues with cramping came 80 miles into the bike portion, when his quadriceps began to tighten.
According to Monda’s father, Alan Monda, the real trouble began when both his quads locked up during the transition between the bike and run.
“He literally couldn’t move,” Alan Monda wrote on Facebook, where he gave consistent updates. “He said he had to put his running shoes on straight legged as if he bent them, his quads would lock up.”
Monda had planned to maintain a pace just under seven minutes per miles for the run. But after three miles he was forced into a jog/shuffle that slowed him to 10 minutes per mile.
But Monda endured, finishing the run in just over four hours. He credited his family, including his wife and two sons, for giving him encouragement each time he passed them on the three-lap loop course.
“Physically I was toast,” Monda wrote on Instagram. “These three people stood out all day in the 100 degree sun and pushed me to keep going … wouldn’t let me DNF.
“We all earned this Hawaii vacation yesterday. I cannot picture myself finishing that race without them present. That was the harding thing I have ever done!”
It’s the second time Monda has qualified for the Kona race. He qualified in 2013 but didn’t compete due to the birth of his second child.
Golfer, 14, qualifies for men’s state amateur
Despite being just 14, Grady Millar qualified for the Washington State Golf Associated Men’s Amateur. He is the youngest in the tournament, which is July 6-8 at Gold Mountain Golf Club in Bremerton.
Millar, who will be a freshman at Mountain View this fall, qualified by shooting 1-over 73 at North Bellingham Golf Course on Friday.
Washougal weightlifter wins at worlds
Katherine Brown earned an individual title at the 2021 World Masters Weightlifting Championships this month.
Brown, a 46-year-old Washougal resident, won the 45-49 age group in the 71-kilogram weight class.
She successfully snatched 71 kilograms (156.5 pounds) and lifted 96 kilograms 211.6 pounds) in the clean and jerk. Her total of 167 kilograms (368.1 pounds) was 15 kg more than anyone in her division who competed in the virtual event.
Young heptathlete qualifies for nationals
Josie Settle, who just finished her freshman year at Kelso High, is headed to the AAU Junior Olympics July 30-Aug. 7 in Houston.
Settle won the heptathalon in the AAU Regionals last week in Boise, Idaho. She also won the triple jump in the 15-16 girls division.
Settle competes with Vancouver-based Whisper Running.
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