Boots and Utes

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Officially the name is William Conner and he is 35 years old from Tulsa, Oklahoma. But you can call him Bill or Wild Bill, he’ll answer to either. On Ironman Day 2008 in toasty Kona, Hawaii, he was the guy you see in the photos who obviously had not anted up for quality time in the wind tunnel before race day.

If he had, someone might have mentioned to him that the eight-pound combat helmet that was perched on his dome was probably not the most aerodynamic, lightweight or comfortable way to go. Someone might have noticed that the utilities and marine issue boots - also known as boots and utes - that he was wearing during the 112-mile ride probably were a tad much for the occasion. Who else takes their boots to the local bike shop to have them adapted so that Speedplay cleats could be mounted to the bottom?

"I was going to use cages and just slide my boots into those," Wild Bill remembers. "But Rocky Hamacher over at Nytro thought he could make the Speedplay cleats and pedals work and it definitely helped."

His feet did go numb for the last 20 miles of the bike ride, but he was in luck! He had another pair of exactly the same really heavy footwear waiting in his extra-large transition bag so that he could run the marathon in those.  With his feet now totally soaked with sweat, he could look forward to 26.2 miles of fun. "By mile three I already had blisters on both feet," he recalls.

As you might have guessed, Wild Bill was on a bit of a mission. After four tours of duty in Iraq in 2004, 2005, 2006 and 2008, and after finally being accepted through the lottery into the Ford Ironman World Championship (after applying every year since 1996), this young marine was going to make the most of his once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.

He was in Fallujah when he received the news that he had been accepted, so he went into full-on training mode. He had a spin bike in his office and he lived in this eight-by-eight-foot room for months as he prepared. On Saturday nights he would do his long rides.  From 5-7 p.m. he would ride his mountain bike around the perimeter of the base and then, after the sun went down, he would ride another four and a half hours on his spin bike and create a river of sweat on the floor around him in the 90 degree room. "It was like riding in a sauna," he says.

When he had first gone to Iraq in 2005, he ran three days in a row around the complex, but that ended abruptly when a rocket zoomed over his head. "I thought maybe that was a sign that I better stop running for awhile," he laughs. 

On race day, the heat training he had done in Iraq came in handy. Despite the boots and helmet and fatigues, he felt downright cool. "My transition times were pretty slow because I changed utility trousers, socks and boots after the bike ride," he says.

Racing for yourself in Kona is always special. But racing for someone else makes the day something you will never forget. Wild Bill dedicated the swim to Marine Major Doug Zenbiec, who died during an ambush in Baghdad. The bike ride was for Navy SEAL Lieutenant Commander Erik Kristensen, who died in Afghanistan - and the run was for Marine Major Megan McClung who was killed in Iraq when an IED exploded under the Humvee she was riding in. 

We look at Ironman as a day of sport, a day of entertainment, a day of perseverance, a day of celebration and a day that proves to each of us how far the human body can be pushed.

For Marine Major Wild Bill Conner, Ironday was a way to honor three heroes and their families. 

Boots and Utes were the perfect dress for the occasion. 

Comments & Feedback

andy bailey  - Boots and Utes |Posted on: 11.25.2008 Had the pleasure of meeting Bill last month at Coastal Sports and Wellness Center in San Diego where Bob was interviewing Chrissie Wellington. He is a real down to earth guy. Seemed to young to be a Major in the Corp.

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