This story is taken from Sacbee / Outdoors/Outbound.
Race of great import to law enforcement
By Chelsea Phua - Bee Staff Writer
Published 12:00 am PDT Saturday, July 21, 2007
Sacramento Police Detective Dan Nutley launched his boat a split-second faster than some of his competitors in last year's Eppie's Great Race and secured his team's victory in the police and fire division.
This year, he has a sleek 21-foot kayak, which he hopes will give him the advantage over other participants in today's race.
"The other teams don't know I have this yet," Nutley said as he unloaded it from his truck by the American River for practice earlier this week.
For years local law enforcement agencies have tried to outdo one another in Eppie's, dubbed the world's oldest triathlon, which is held each year in Sacramento along the American River.
But underlying the competitiveness and friendly rivalry is the goal of promoting fitness and a healthy lifestyle for law enforcement and fire officers, Nutley said.
With at least nine teams, the Sacramento Police Department is better represented than any other agency in the police and fire division, according to Eppie's spokeswoman Drisha Leggitt.
Nutley said the department will have five athletes, including Deputy Chief Rick Braziel, who will compete individually as Ironpersons in categories according to age. The event consists of a 5.82-mile run, a 12.5-mile bike ride and a 6.35-mile paddle.
Braziel is the Ironman pacesetter this year, which means his is the official time to beat: two hours, two minutes and 12 seconds. Braziel, by the way, doesn't consider himself fast.
"Fitness isn't about being fast," he said. "It's about doing."
But anyone who beats the pacesetter's time receives a free meal at Brookfields restaurant.
To encourage participation, Braziel has offered to buy lunch for anyone in the Sacramento Police Department who takes part in Eppie's.
He has also challenged area firefighters and law enforcement officers to beat his time. If they do, he encourages their superiors to buy them lunch.
But Braziel plans to beat his own time today -- "so I can have a free lunch."
Not to be outdone, Sacramento County Sheriff's Department spokesman Tim Curran said his department also has "a large contingent of deputies participating in the events."
Leggitt said at least three teams are representing the Sheriff's Department. That count does not include the numbers of Ironpersons.
Leggitt said other law enforcement and public safety agencies participating today with at least one team include Sacramento Metro Fire Department, the California Highway Patrol and the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation.
For more information on Eppie's Great Race, visit www.thegreatrace.org.
This story is taken from Sacbee / Outdoors/Outbound.