![]() ![]() Needless to say, there was much celebrating the following year when I hit that slimy rock right on the bull’s eye. Actually I think I swam perfectly-Lime Rock is what got swept out to sea. On my first attempt, I got ever so close to the finish line at Lime Rock on the Marin shore but the tide had other ideas and I got washed away. It began back when Walt co-sponsored me into the Dolphin Swimming Club in 1970 so that I could qualify to swim the Golden Gate. The very mention of his name reminds me of two words, “Lime Rock.” The DSEers who often ran near me as I passed Walt going the other way may have been puzzled why he always yelled “Lime Rock is in the other direction!” My relationship with Walt Stack could better be described in a book than in a few paragraphs but he was definitely one of a kind. Walt’s definition of a smart ass–“Someone who can sit on an ice cream cone and tell you the flavor.” The good doctor walked away, still puzzling over it. Walt replied “Oh, I was okay once I got out of the hospital.” The puzzled doctor asked, “Why were you hospitalized, Mister Stack?” to which Walt replied, “To get that damned bicycle out of my ass.” Typical Walt Stack. The next day at the awards dinner another older participant, a medical doctor from Japan, came to our table to inquire as to how Walter had fared. That didn’t bother Walter, because he had a contingent riding merrily along with him, keeping him supplied with beer. Walter had a hell of a good time, but during the bike ride which was the final event, he was several hours past the cutoff. Walt Stack and I did the Ironman Triathlon in Hawaii. Logan Franklin Walt and the Japanese Doctor God only knows what would have happened if she had actually dropped her shorts! Anyway, there was one heck of a party afterwards. Then Gail and the friend stepped out of the costume to roaring laughter and shouts. In the typical Walt Stack style, he walked over an planted a big kiss on its behind. As Walt walked up, the “animal” appeared, turned, and directed its hindquarters toward Walt. What only a few people knew, was that Gail and a friend had rented a jackass costume and ere off in a hiding place. Of course we were wondering what would happen and how would Walt handle it? ![]() So the next week when Walt went up to present ribbons, people were calling out that Gail would be at the Ferry Building at noon, and Walt was expected to be there.Īs noon rolled around a huge crowd of runners gathered along with some curious tourists and other spectators. Now to everyone’s surprise Gail ran the race in the time she had predicted. Come now Gail, if you run that fast, I’ll kiss your ass at the Ferry Building at high noon and give you an hour to draw a crowd!” Laughter broke out and the gauntlet had been thrown. Well, Walt heard about the prediction and after handing out ribbons one morning, he said, “I hear Gail’s going to break a record in the marathon next week. She mentioned that she intended to finish in a time that everyone who know her thought was unrealistic. At one of the Sunday races there was a runner named Gail Gustufson who had been training for an important marathon and was doing quite well. So the SI writer wrote: “Walt Stack’s pace is so steady, if he fell out of an airplane he probably would fall at the speed of 8.5 minutes per mile.”Īt the DSE races, Walt was a frequent master of ceremonies and presenter of ribbons to the top finishers and you never know quite what to expect. It seems almost regardless of the distance, Walt ran 8.5 minute miles. But there was a great line that I remember from that article which had to do with one of Walt’s physical traits, his steady gait. when the article came out, Walt hated it. the writer followed him around for a week, talking to friends and getting to know his habits and routine. In the late 1970’s or early 80’s, Sports Illustrated sent a writer to do a story on Walt. Walt Stack featured in a commercial by Nike: (The grubby jokes were never spared.)Len and Buck and Ruth and Stu Blessings on the DSE’s First Man.With inspiration for all who dared ![]()
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