On Saturday I drove to Camp Pendleton, Calif. to race the Devil Dog Duathlon and went into the race with some aspiration to compete for the win based off last year’s winning time. I arrived early enough to get everything set up and then headed over to the start line. As I was walking over, I noticed a small, fit looking woman who sure looked like Heather Fuhr. She was talking to a guy wearing a hat who was also rather nondescript until he raised his head and his face looked pretty familiar.
The more I looked at him the more sure I became that it was Norman Stadler, of all people. Sure enough they announce him before the race and off we go. After about two minutes it became clear no one was going to pass him, so off I went. I immediately acquired a tail of two very fast UC San Diego guys with Stadler in tow. After about a mile the UCSD guys pushed the pace and we started up the hill on a dirt trail to the first 5K turnaround. As they started to pull away and I look down to see my heart rate at 184, a couple of things became clear to me–first, Stadler’s apparent relaxed form made it clear that he was a Porsche idling in second while the economy cars around him were redlining, and second, if I wanted a picture coming into T1 with Stadler I would have to throw away my race and run the first split like an open 5K.
Thankfully my good sense prevailed and I let them go, though I did manage to run into transition before he rolled out.
Once out on the bike I concentrated on the race and forgot about Stadler until we approached the turnaround and he came flying down the hill I was climbing, already about 2K ahead of me. I had averaged better than 25 mph to that point and he was already 3-4 minutes up in less that 14K of riding.
It was awesome.
From T1 to the end of the race he put seven minutes into me and didn’t look to be straining when he passed going the other direction on the final run.
Fuhr came rolling into the finish less than two minutes behind me, so I guess I should be glad the race wasn’t any longer, or I’m sure he would have toasted me too.
What a great sport we all participate in.
Chad
P.S. I was shocked at a duathlon that had more than 400 finishers. It was huge. For whatever reason this year’s field was incredible. Last year there were six racers under 1:25. This year there were 24, including Stadler’s 1:14:30, which beat out the previous best time by six or so minutes. Incredible.
P.P.S. Stadler seemed very down to earth and friendly. I couldn’t help but compare him to some of our Big Three sports superstars who make 10 million or more a year and get in trouble all the time. Stadler didn’t stick around for the awards ceremony, but I they said he had an appointment at a local boys and girls club.
