Hawaii Tribune-Herald
Front Page Sports
Monday, October 5, 1998
By Kevin Jakahi
Ironman a family affair for McCarys
The 20th annual Ironman Triathlon world Championship had special meaning for Patrick McCary. Not because he beat wife Diane for the first time in three tries. Or the fact that Diane won her age-division (55-59) for the second straight year.
Patrick McCary was proud of his entire family: Diane, son Michael and daughter Kristen McCary Turner. The McCary's became the first family of four to complete the Hawaii Ironman on Saturday.
Patrick, 58, a psychologist in Kailua-Kona, finished in 13 hours, 4 minutes and 33 seconds.
Diane, 56, a middle-school counselor at Kealakehe Intermediate, finished in 13:08:39.
Michael, 27, a pilot for Aloha Island Air, and Kristen, 29, an academic advisor to female athletes at the University of Texas, crossed the finish line together at 11:38:31.
But the best was saved for last when Diane neared the finish line. Patrick, Michael and Kristen waited, after they first crossed, and then joined Diane to complete the race - a 2.4 mile swim, 112-mile bike and 26.2 mile run - together as a family.
"We're all happy," Patrick said. "Diane and I used to put pictures of the kids when they were little on our bike handles for inspiration.
"We hoped all four of us would finish. The Ironman officials allowed us to stay in the finish line area. Then we all ran across together with Diane."
The McCarys tried to pull off the Ironman family feat last year at a triathlon in Canada. But Diane got into a bike accident and couldn't finish. The rest of the family did.
Because Diane won her age-division last year, she automatically qualified for this year's Hawaii Ironman. That set the wheels in motion for the iron-willed McCarys.
At the Keauhou Triathlon (a half-ironman race) in May, Patrick won his age-division to qualify for the Ironman. Michael also won his Ironman slot at Keauhou by two seconds, catching a competitor with 50 yards to go.
"When Kristen heard about this, she said, 'You guys are in. Now I want to do it,' " Patrick said. "She went to Springfield, Illinois, and competed in the Ironhorse Triathlon (a half-Ironman). She won her age-division and was first out of 37 women."
The McCary women are the pace-setters. Back in 1989, Kristen won her age division (19 and under) in a World Championship race in France. Patrick also notes that Diane is the only person from Kailua-Kona to capture her age-division at the Hawaii Ironman.
Patrick and Diane have run in three Hawaii Ironman races: 1984, last year and this year. Diane beat him the first two times, and it became something of a good-natured family joke - Dad eats mom's dust.
"My wife has beaten me twice in the Hawaii Ironman, and this year not liking that, I tried to stay ahead of her," Patrick said. "She was running me down from behind. That's a family joke that Dad redeemed himself. I've taken grief from my wife beating me."
The McCary Family Feat almost hit a roadblock right before the Ironman. With three weeks before the race, Michael was sick in bed for 10 days.
However, he recovered and the family persevered through rough conditions. On the bike ride, 40 mph gusts slowed racers. It wasn't enough to stop the McCarys.
Diane also got a lot of inspiration from her kids at school. Some of them were volunteers, and shouted, "There goes Mrs. McCary." That provided a boost, Patrick said.
The race wiped out Patrick and Diane. Michael and Kristen were still riding a high.
"We're tired," Patrick said. "They're fine. They're excited about having finished."
"Once is enough, for now. We certainly won't do it next year. We'll go back to volunteering. It's great to climb a mountain, but not to climb it every year. This was the completion of wanting to get four people across the finish line. It's tough enough to get four to the starting line."
The McCarys can smile, especially Patrick. They finished as a family. And for the time being, Dad no longer has to hear anything about eating mom's dust.