The Girl Can't Help It (Cont.)

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Outside Magazine April 2003

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The Girl Can't Help It (Cont.)

BUT THAT WILL HAVE TO WAIT. Just now, all heads are turning as Stacy takes off, racing against another female firefighter who posted a good time last year. The other woman tries to keep up with her. Big mistake. By the time she gets to the dummy, she's staggering, falling, unable to finish!

Stacy, meanwhile, is magnificent, finishing in 2:41, a mark the P.A. announcer hails as the fastest women's time in the U.S. so far that year. She's definitely going to the big event in Florida. "Fastest chick in the USA!" Juliet shouts, jumping up and down, jabbing a finger at the crowd. "You heard him! In the USA!"

Behind Juliet and out of view, Stacy tries desperately to draw air into her lungs. She had hoped to break 2:30. But so what? She'll have her chance in Florida.

Energized, Juliet runs off to find Denny, whose race is coming up. Having run the Pikes Peak Marathon the week before, he's probably a little worn. Might be a good idea to slow him down.

As it turns out, Denny falls short of his goal—to break two minutes. But he ends up with a 2:38, a decent time that qualifies him to go to the nationals in his 40-and-over group.

Finally comes the big moment when The Fat starts his run in the not exactly competitive Best Chief category. ("Fire chiefs are not known for their physical prowess," says Paul Davis, an exercise- science Ph.D. who created the Challenge. "We're just happy if they show up.") But with a time of 4:06, The Fat outperforms several other chiefs, fails to puke, generally emerges unscathed, and qualifies for Florida. He pulls off his coat and mask, revealing the usual flapped-open pants, and smiles broadly.

"That was hard," he says.

"Good," Juliet says. "We start training again in two weeks. Now it begins."

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