By Moriah Balingit
The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
PITTSBURGH, Pa. — After two children died in a McKeesport house fire in 2000, firefighter Chris Cerci was so shaken that he considered quitting.
He had forced himself so far into the house that his suit was charred beyond use. Still, he could not reach the children because the flames were too strong.
Fire Chief Kevin Lust said nothing more could have been done that day, but Mr. Cerci said he still felt responsible. It was then he decided to get serious about his physical condition and work out more consistently on his off days.
“If anything ever happened and I could have done more if I were in better condition, I wouldn’t be able to live with myself,” he said.
Today, he is in optimum shape, working out seven to 15 hours per week, and is one of the nation’s top competitors in the Firefighter Combat Challenge, which puts firefighters through a grueling obstacle course race. He won state titles 2006 and 2007 and the Grand National Championship in the age 40-and-over competition last year.
The competition involves running up a five-story tower and hoisting a 42-pound hose. Next, the competitor must push a beam rigged for resistance 5 feet using nothing but a sledgehammer.
Then the competition involves a number of tasks that simulate firefighting. Competitors run up a five-story tower, with up to 120 pounds of gear, hoist a 40-pound hose and drag a charged hose -- which can weigh up to 200 pounds -- about 75 feet. To cross the finish line, the competitor must drag a 175-pound mannequin backward for 100 feet.
Mr. Cerci called the course the “perfect example of mind over body.”
“It’s the hardest thing I’ve ever done,” he said. “Your legs are burning. Your lungs are burning.”
He first competed in the summer of 2001 and was surprised how difficult it was. Then, while assisting in the rescue and recovery effort in New York City following the attacks of Sept. 11, he decided to step up his training again because he was disappointed at how fatigued he got working all day.
“That planted a little seed,” he said.
Since then, Mr. Cerci has changed his diet and worked out more conscientiously. He exercises at CrossFit Pittsburgh, a gym based in Verona, where coach Jen Pietrogallo helps him train using motions that mimic the competition.
One of his exercises involves a 275-pound tractor tire that he has outfitted so he can drag it forward and backward and flip it on its side. Ms. Pietrogallo also has designed a special workout, called Firefighter Appreciation, that involves running up and down stairs with 20-pound medicine balls to mimic carrying gear.
Ms. Pietrogallo called Mr. Cerci a “phenomenal athlete.” But more than that, he serves as an inspiration for other athletes working out with him.
“What makes it such a benefit at the gym is that he’s so motivating,” she said. “He pushes everyone ... he does so well at his own workouts that it makes you want to do better yourself.”
Mr. Cerci, who played hockey and baseball in high school, said he enjoys the competitive nature of firefighter challenges.
But ultimately, he competes and trains to become a better firefighter.
Training more has increased his level of endurance, he said. “It takes me a lot longer to get fatigued.’'
Chief Lust said Mr. Cerci can go through four or five cans of air, which takes between 80 and 100 minutes, before resting. Most firefighters have to take a break after two cans.
“Chris is our number one guy when it comes to endurance,” he said.
Mr. Cerci now takes part in eight to 10 competitions per year nationwide. It costs about $5,000 annually for him to compete; he is now sponsored by Northeast Stihl, a chainsaw manufacturer. The company gave the McKeesport Fire Department a $1,500 ventilation rescue saw last year. Firefighters use the device to cut holes in the roofs of burning buildings.
Mr. Cerci will compete in the New England Firefighter Combat Challenge in Haverhill, Mass., on Aug. 23. He also expects to compete in the world championship in November.
Copyright 2008 P.G. Publishing Co.