IN THE SWIM OF COMPETITION TRIATHLETES YOUNG AND OLD MATCH ENDURANCE IN RACE.Byline: BRAD A. GREENBERG Staff Writer LAKE VIEW TERRACE -- Sports skeptics might think that Irving Cohen cohen or kohen (Hebrew: “priest”) Jewish priest descended from Zadok (a descendant of Aaron), priest at the First Temple of Jerusalem. The biblical priesthood was hereditary and male. is too old at 71 to complete a triathlon, that 11-year-old Cole Gann is too young and that Sharlene Wills, who has been blind since birth, is unfit. They'd be wrong. The three were among 442 people, most from the greater Los Angeles area The Greater Los Angeles Area, or the Southland, is the agglomeration of urbanized area around the city of Los Angeles, California, United States. There are two "official" definitions—the Los Angeles metropolitan area consisting only of the Los Angeles and Orange , to compete Sunday in the second annual Hansen Dam Hansen Dam in Los Angeles County, California was built by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Los Angeles District in 1939 and 1940. The project is located near the northern edge of the San Fernando Valley on Tujunga Wash, about one mile below the confluence of the Big Tujunga Wash Triathlon. ``I've been active and adventurous all my life. Nobody else in my family really is, even though everybody else can see fine,'' said Wills, 58, of West L.A. ``I don't know Don't know (DK, DKed) "Don't know the trade." A Street expression used whenever one party lacks knowledge of a trade or receives conflicting instructions from the other party. it any other way. I was blessed with a strong sense of derring-do.'' ``Cojones Cojones IPA: [ko'xones] is a vulgar Spanish word for testicles, corresponding to "balls" or "bollocks". Usage in English ,'' her racing partner, Dana White Dana White (born July 28, 1969 in Manchester, Connecticut) is the current President of the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC), a mixed martial arts organization based in the United States. , added. ``Yes, cojones. Sometimes that is probably a curse. But it keeps you active,'' Wills responded. ``I don't want to just stay at home doing nothing.'' Triathletes began streaming into the parking lot of the Hansen Dam Aquatic Center at 5 a.m. The race, grown sixfold sixfold Adjective 1. having six times as many or as much 2. composed of six parts Adverb by six times as many or as much Adj. 1. since last year's inaugural event, was set to begin at 7:30 and participants needed to register and get loose. With '80s rock music blasting from the Red Bull energy drink truck, a six-wheeled Austrian military vehicle circa 1970, the triathletes waited anxiously to dive into the warm water. They shook their arms and swirled their heads, pulling on the swim caps that separated them into five age groups. The 30- to 39-year-old group was the largest. ``All right, can I have the first wave in the water?'' Kevin Davis Kevin Davis may refer to:
Cheers went up as those in yellow caps waded in. ``Swimmers, are you ready?'' Davis roared. An air horn wailed and they began their 500-yard swim around the lake's perimeter. The fastest completed the leg in less than 10 minutes. Others struggled and swam along the shallow shoulder, breaking stroke to walk in the water. Lifeguards on a jet ski Jet Ski A trademark used for a personal watercraft. jet ski Noun a small self-propelled vehicle resembling a scooter, which skims across water on a flat keel jet skiing n and paddleboards circled about. ``Come on! You can do it!'' a woman yelled to her training partner nearing the first bend of the swim. Once out of the water, triathletes sprinted to their bicycles and began the 11-mile road course. They later returned to the bike racks and hit the 3-mile running trail. The first runner came around the final bend less than 52 minutes after the race began. Ryan Humes, 27, of San Dimas crossed the line with a time of 51:54. ``It was a good course. Some little hills on the bike, nothing too challenging,'' said Humes, a teacher at El Monte El Monte (ĕl mŏn`tē), city (1990 pop. 106,209), Los Angeles co., S Calif.; inc. 1912. A residential, industrial, and commercial city in the San Gabriel Valley, El Monte manufactures furniture, electronic equipment, semiconductors, High School who trains twice a day and next month is scheduled to compete in the International Triathlon Union The International Triathlon Union, headquartered in North Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, was formed in 1989, and organizes official world championship series races for the sport of triathlon (swim-bike-run races). age group world championships in Switzerland. Kalyn English, 18, of Canyon Country was the first woman to finish at 54:18 -- which placed her third among the men but wasn't good enough to satisfy her hunger. ``You always wish you could do better, but whatever,'' she said. Cole had been coaxed into the competing by Keith Krueger, a 12-year-old friend who had seen a sign for the race at the aquatic center. ``I thought it sounded cool and I wanted to try it out,'' Cole said before the race. Irving Cohen, 71, of Sherman Oaks finished shortly behind Cole, driving full bore. ``I feel fantastic. I'm on a high, man. I'm on a high you can't believe. I'm ready to fight Mike Tyson -- and I can beat him too.'' brad.greenberg(at)dailynews.com (818) 713-3634 CAPTION(S): 2 photos Photo: (1 -- 2 -- color) About 400 participants, above, take part in the Hansen Dam triathlon Sunday in Lake View Terrace. Ryan Humes, below, won first place by completing a 500-yard swim, an 11-mile bike ride and a 3-mile run in 51 minutes, 54 seconds. Gene Blevins/Special to the Daily News |
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