A blazing competition
Local firefighters train for Combat Challenge
By Joan Tupponce

Lonnie Lewis (right) and Scott McClelland are currently training for the Firefighter's Combat Challenge, a competition that tests their strength, endurance and skill as firefighters.

Shave off six seconds. Shave off six seconds. That's the mantra Captain Lonnie Lewis is repeating to himself these days as he trains for the Firefighter's Combat Challenge.

The Station 11 Chesterfield firefighter began competing in the games in 1998.

"It's a great event to help you stay fit and also to compare yourself with firefighters across the nation," observed Lewis. "All of the events in the Challenge simulate things you might actually encounter on a fire scene."

In the competition, firefighters wear full gear and breathing apparatus as they run up a five-story tower, "hoisting, chopping, dragging hose and rescuing a life-sized 175 pound victim," explained Lewis. "We have to simulate a forcible entry using a sledge hammer."

Lewis watched the event on ESPN several times before he joined four other Chesterfield firefighters who had decided to compete. As part of their workout for the competition, the team would run the obstacle course at the fire department's Chesterfield training center.

"Our course at the training center is similar to the competition course," Lewis explained.

Firefighters can qualify to go to the world championship at any of the approximately 20 regional events held each year. Lewis has qualified for the world championship each year. His highest finish: fifth.

"I've won several regional competitions," he said. "Last year, I was the state champion and placed second in the nationals. I placed 10th in the world competition."

For the last two years, Lewis has competed in the men's 40-over category. He is currently ranked number one in the men's 40-over age division and fifth in the country for the Combat Challenge. His best time is one minute, 34 seconds. He wants to shave that down to one minute, 26 seconds.

"One of the things that has helped me get to the number one position is training with Scott McClelland. This is his first full year of competition," Lewis said. A Midlothian resident, McClelland is a member of the Henrico County Division of Fire Station No. 12. "Over the past five years, I have been competing as an individual without a team, doing most of my training by myself," Lewis said. "I haven't had a consistent training partner. Working with Scott has been a big change. We push each other and work out together. We run together."

The training has turned into a mentorship, according to McClelland.

"I find that I mimic what Lonnie does on the course," McClelland said. "He's given me guidance and a benchmark for where I should be at each point in the course."

McClelland's goal is to finish between one minute, 35 seconds and one minute, 40 seconds.

"We've pumped up the intensity of our training," he added. "I'm not too far behind Lonnie. I want to catch him. It's become a friendly rivalry."

This year, Lewis and McClelland have competed at Deerfield Beach, Florida, Virginia Beach and York, Pennsylvania. They are currently training for an August 26 competition in Gainesville, Florida. Nationals will be held October 13 in Atlanta followed by the world competition November 7-11 in Las Vegas. Both Lewis and McClelland have already qualified for the world competition where they will compete against approximately 500 firefighters from around the globe.

When Lewis first started competing, his hardest task was dragging a 175-pound dummy 100 feet.

"That part of the competition is at the end of the race," he explained. "It will always remain the hardest."

Now, the firefighter's biggest challenge is running down six flights of steps.

"That's where I need the most work," he confided. "I'm doing it in about 15 seconds. Most of the world champions get down in 11 or 12 seconds."

To shave off seconds, Lewis is working on his flexibility and foot speed. He's even traveled to Clayton County near Atlanta to train.

"The steps I train on here are a slightly different angle," he explained. "It hurts that I don't get to train on the actual degree of angle. In Clayton County they have the same tower set up."

Lewis hopes to run the Gainesville course in one minute, 28 seconds.

"I'm sure that I can do that," he said confidently. "I found numerous mistakes on the tape of my last run that I can correct. I've really improved in the last week. I've cut down my time coming down the steps to 11 seconds. If I can maintain that, it will give me a big boost."