‘When we started, if we got 20 people for a race, that was a good turnout.’ : Crowd of Racers Mirrors Cycling’s Growth

When Marianne Berglund started bicycling in 1979 in her native Sweden, it was just to keep in shape when a lack of snow interrupted her cross-country skiing

But she soon discovered she enjoyed cycling more than skiing, and she moved to San Diego County after graduating from college in 1984 because the weather there was ideal for her new obsession.

Like the 23-year-old Berglund, who won the women’s division of the Seal Beach Grand Prix bicycle race Saturday, many who have embraced cycling in recent years have done so to stay in shape. And their number is growing steadily, as the field of about 400 participants in Saturday’s eight events indicated.

Paul Brown, owner of the Seal Beach Bike Shoppe, estimates that the number of people buying bikes has “definitely increased since the (1984 Summer) Olympics.

“A lot of people were running, and, because running is so bad for you, they turned to cycling,” Brown said.

The abundance of bike trails has also played a big part in the sport’s growth in Southern California, he added.

Ray and Louise Brandt of Newport Beach discussed their reasons for cycling as they watched the races, which were organized by the Seal Beach Bike Club.

“I started five years ago, when injuries in running led me into cycling,” Ray Brandt said. “When we started, if we got 20 people for a race, that was a good turnout.”

‘I’m on a Kick’

Both Brandts say they have noticed more people pushing pedals, and Ray Brandt would like to see that energy put to use more often: eliminating gridlock.

“I’m on a kick to get people to use bikes for transportation” to and from work, the realtor said. “I started commuting to work 20 miles each way (from Corona del Mar to Anaheim), and it’s quicker on a bike than in a car.”

After one of Saturday’s preliminary races, Tom Willingham rested on the grass, waiting for the main event to begin.

Willingham, an industrial engineer for McDonnell Douglas, took up cycling when he started entering triathlons, competitions involving swimming, running and cycling.

“I started as a swimmer when I was 8, and I ran track in high school,” Willingham said. “After graduating from college, I needed something to keep in shape, and since biking was my weakest, I concentrated on that.”

Just Find a Group

Willingham, who moved from Kentucky to Long Beach in February, said he often had difficulty finding someone to train with.

“At home, I always had to call a lot of people to organize training rides. Here I can just ride down Pacific Coast Highway and find a group of riders to ride with.”

Herb Belyea of Norwalk and Joel Meade of Cerritos, both veteran riders, talked about the changes they have witnessed.

“I used to race in the ‘30s and ‘40s,” said the 72-year-old Belyea. “After the war, it started to pick up a bit. But back then bikes were different; they were heavier and only had one gear.”

Mostly, they agreed, they’ve noticed a new respectability for the sport.

Meade figures he has been riding for 45 years, since he was a young lad in Scotland. He continued to ride after moving here, despite the lack of companions.

“Then, everybody thought you were crazy,” Meade said.