On Saturday, Oct. 10, in Kona, Hawaii, Carlos Moleda, cinched his fifth Ironman World Championship in the handcycle division, at age 53, with a finish time of 11:32:34. Second place finisher was Jason Gradyan with a time of 14:36:25.

In a July 2010 New Mobility feature on Moleda, a T12 complete paraplegic and retired Navy SEAL, he said that he had retired after winning his fourth Ironman World Championship in 2005 to spend more time with his family and live a more balanced life, but the pull of Ironman competition — a 2.4 mile swim, 112-mile bike ride, followed by a marathon — is strong and last year Moleda, his son now grown and out on his own, decided to give it one more go.

On his Facebook page Moleda describes the conditions at this years race as the most difficult he has ever faced, “The whole thing started on the swim, choppy conditions made it even worse, people kept swimming on top of me and I had to stop just about every other stroke, after swallowing a mouth full of seawater.” On the bike section racers battled fierce headwinds and humid, 103-degree heat. At the half way point on of the handcycle ride he was pushing so hard against the headwind he says his elbows “had enough and just blew up” but he pushed on. “

At the transition from the bike to his racing chair — for the marathon — he was so depleted, he was dizzy and had to rest a few minutes to summon the willpower to get into his race chair. Moleda says every push of his chair felt like his elbows were like being hit with a hammer and the marathon reminded him of going through Navy SEAL BUD/s Hell Week “I went into 100 percent BUD/s Hell Week mode, just keep moving forward, mile after mile. At the end, I was able to keep myself at the front and earn one more World Championship title, probably the most rewarding one, my family was there to cheer me up the tough hills, and to catch me at the finish line. I am the happiest and most blessed man to have so many people in my life that are there for me, and that includes all of you!”