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About The Battalion. (College Station, Tex.) 1893-current | View Entire Issue (Sept. 13, 1984)
Thursday, September 13, 1984^The Battalion/Page 9 Sports- Ag gears lor grueling ‘Ironman’ triathlon By TAMARA BELL Sports Writer Running to catch the bus or bik ing to class leaves many people phys ically exhausted and gasping for breath, but for Texas A&rM junior Diane Praker, a 50 mile bike ride fol lowed by a 2 mile swim and a 15 mile run isjust a routine workout. On Oct. (i, Praker will compete with 1,000 athletes from around the world in the Hawaiian Ironman Triathlon, consisting of a 2 mile swim, 112 mile bike ride, and 20.5 mile run. After watching the Ironman Triath lon on television two years ago, Praker decided it was a challenge she’d like to accept. Although family members admired Praker for her ambition, they believed her desire would be short-lived. Praker knew her dream would come true. A avid marathon runner and a four-year member of the Galveston Ball High School swim team, gives Praker experience in two of the three triathlon events. After invest ing in a Ciocc, a $1,000 bicycle im ported from Italy, she began her ex tensive training program in all three events. “Once I knew the Ironman contest would be a reality, I went to several championship triathlons to check what the pros considered the best equipment for this type of race,” Praker said. “The Ciocc is the best bicycle and I figure why enter this contest with second best. “I earned money by working for the beach patrol during the summer. Actually, the patrol has been a big contributing factor to my acceptance to this race because they allowed for time off, with pay, while I trained.” Praker’s typical Monday begins before sunrise with a 50 mile bike ‘It s the challenge of actually accomplishing such a physically and mentally exhausting contest in which the participants are from all over the world that far outw eighs any pain I might experience. ” — Triathlete Diane Praker ride and a one mile swim. Praker fin ishes the day by running 15 miles. Tuesday consists of a one mile swim and stamina building activities such aswind sprints, long distance running and bike riding. This sched ule continues throughout the week with one day off for rest. “When 1 trained, I played-out each event to test my endurance but I didn’t time my efforts,” Praker said. “I know I can endure the strain of such strenuous exercise. Now, I need to concentrate on speed. “In previous competitions, I have been in the top five coming from the water, the top eight after bicycling, and finished strong in my best event, running, to place first in my age group.” Keeping a diet is important to any athlete, so Praker has excluded red meat from her meals and eats food high in carbohydrates such as pota- tos, bread, pasta, and whole grain products. While at A&M, Praker trains by swimming at the University pool, biking with the Aggie Bike Club, and running virtually “all over town.” Not only has she received full sup port from her family, close friends, and the citizens of Galveston who raised $3,500 for her expenses, but also from her professors who will show leniency for the week she’ll be away competing. “I’m a sports medicine major who wants to graduate from Texas A&M,” she said, “but this contest is also very important to me. My pro fessors know this and will allow make-up time for those things that I miss.” The United States Triathlon Fed eration, a national organization which sponsors the Ironman contest and other triathlons, is trying to in corporate the a triathalon competi tion into the 1988 Summer Olympics in Seoul, South Korea. The top 10 women to finish the Ironman will be eligible to partici pate in this event should the US I F succeed. As for Praker’s future, after this competition she will concentrate on classes and perhaps an occasional waterpolo match with the A&M club. But once summer arrives, she will prepare for another challenge — The Great Western States 100. This race will involve running through the mountains in Colorado. So why does Praker abuse her body from week to week? “It’s the challenge of actually ac complishing such a physically and mentally exhausting contest in which the participants are from all over the world that far outweighs any pain I might experience. I just can’t believe it will be over so soon,” Praker said. Brewer says Ole Miss in the dark about Hatfield's 'flexbone' Hogs United Press International LITTLE ROCK, Ark. — T he two coaches involved in Saturday night’s Arkansas-Mississippi football game couldn’t agree Wednesday on whether the Rebels had an advan tage after playing one game. Billy Brewer, who directed Ole Miss to a 22-b victory over Memphis State Saturday, said Hatfield, who scouted the game, would have the edge in seeing the Rebels’ 1984 play ers and system in action. “They have 10 times more infor mation on us than we have on them,” Brewer told Arkansas media in a telephone news conference, specifying the passing game as an area where Ole Miss is in the dark on Arkansas’ plans. “We don’t know if they’re in straight dropback or sprintout pass ing," Brewer said. Hatfield said the experienced Re bel players, veterans of last year’s 6-6 bowl squad, were able to pass their experience on to the younger play ers during the Memphis State game. “The experience paid off for the younger players,” Hatfield said. “They latched onto the older play ers. That’s why they played so well against Memphis State.” Hatfield said there were no reve lations in his scouting of the Rebel victory. “They have not changed a lot (from 1983), although they have some wrinkles,” he said. “We know where they’re going to be. It’s just a matter of executing now.” Hatfield, who coached Air Force to a 9-3 bowl victory over Ole Miss in December before taking the Arkan sas job, said the offensiver players have picked up the new Flexbone of fense well. “We’ll learn to execute better as the game goes by,” Hatfield said. “The pace of the game is always much faster than anything they’ve seen in practice. But we haven’t been turning the ball over very much, even on stunts. I expect us to exe cute well.” Brewer said Ole Miss “caught Ar kansas looking” in a 13-10 victory over the Hogs last year that pro pelled the Rebels to their first bowl trip in more than a decade. “We were fortunate to win it. Af ter that football game we became much better. This year we’re trying to be a complete football team for 11 games, not five or six games like last year.” Hatfield said the smallish Hog de fensive line will have trouble stand ing up to the bigger Rebel blockers. “Their line of scrimmage domi nated Memphis State on both sides of the ball,” Hatfield said. “Our guys will root hard and fight them in the trenches.” Brewer said offensive tackle Greg Walker and receiver James Har- Arkansas’ Ken Hatfield hour, both recovering from injuries, were likely to play in Saturday’s 7:05 p.m. game, but said their effective ness could be limited by a lack of practice time. Jury convicts Jets’ star with assault United Press International NEW YORK — A jury Wednesday convicted New York Jets football star Mark Gastineau of assault for breaking the nose of a man who beat him in an arm wrestling contest in the swank Studio 54 night club. The five-man, one-woman panel acquitted Gastineau’s co-de fendant, Jets’ quarterback Ken O’Brien. O’Brien’s attorneys had argued he was mistaken for a look-a-like friend. The jury’s verdict came about 4 p.m. on the second day of delib erations. The panel’s deliber ations included rehearing more than eight hours of testimony about the brawl last Sept. 30. Gastineau, 27, and O’Brien, 23, were accused of joining the melee where three men were beaten up. Two of the men suf fered broken noses, but Gasti neau was convicted of breaking only one of the men’s noses. Gastineau’s attorney Peter Morrison said he was “really dis appointed” at the jury’s decision but “a verdict is a verdict and the truth is the truth.” Robert Simel, attorney for O’Brien, said Gastineau’s verdict was “an injustice. The evidence in this case doesn’t support the deci sion as to Mark. As much as there is elation for my client, it is tem pered by the verdict.” Sentencing was set for Nov. 20. Gastineau faces up to a year in jail and a $1,000 fine for his convic tion on one count of assault in the attack on Studio 54 bouncer John Benson after Benson beat the football star in an arm wrestling contest. The only reaction in the court room, filled with about 40 specta tors, was a single gasp from Gasti-' neau’s wife when the verdict was read. SHOE CLEARANCE for Runners 1 Re g Odyssey (air) 84 95 men & ladies Pegasus (air) 49 95 men & ladies / Equator 66 95 men & ladies Internationalist 54 95 mens Columbia (air) 64 95 mens Trophi 36 95 men & ladies Valkrie 54 95 ladies Sale 4499 42" 47" 37" 39" 27" 31" Reg Mr? -460- 49 95 men & ladies ixP -660- 52 95 ^ -770- 76 95 men & ladies Sale 41" 26" 62" , Reg -jS5^ 513 49 “ 510 Vega 39 95 Km 595 64 95 Sale 41" 29" 54" Reg Chariott 54 99 /L Graphflex 42 95 Sale 4799 34" “^Locker Room AGGIE fclNEMA/. How much love, sex, fun and friendship can a person take? THE BIG CHILL Friday Sc Saturday Sept 14 & 15 7:30 pm & 9:45 pm Rudder Theatre THE vV BIGCHILL In a cold world you need your friends to keep you warm. ■A, THE WHO quadrophenia Friday & Saturday, Sept. 14 & 15 Rudder Theatre Midnight 9* Sunday Sept. 16 7:30pm Rudder Theatre POOR LITTLE VOTNIEr 6©V BRdO&HTTO YOU BY A&GIE CINEP\A[ 'CAUSE MaBODvj >EiSE WOULD Ruri IX "6AR>y WEEU1E* © “weenie plats tehhis" [NEXT TIMEl (X FAEAt^'A CZDMIC) Book] Tickets are $1.50 with TAMU I.D. Advance tickets available at MSC Box Office Mon-Fri 8:30am -4:30pm Tickets also on sale 45 minutes before show