FORT RUCKER, Ala. -- Continuing a string of athletic and professional accomplishments performed together, Nicholas Dason and Christine Krueger garnered top men's and women's honors in the Feb. 20 West Beach Out and Back Road Bike race.
Dason finished the 10.5-mile race in 25 minutes, 25 seconds, while Krueger completed the Directorate of Family and Morale, Welfare and Recreation event in 29:34.
The UH-60 Black Hawk classmates competed together on the U.S. Military Academy triathlon team and represented Fort Rucker on the Army 10-Miler team in October. While attending flight school classes, the two said they swapped training endeavors to push each other.
Dason defended last year's title, winning in rainy conditions. He said this year's race was much easier.
"Last year, it was rainy. This year, you (couldn't) ask for better weather," Dason said of the sunny day with temperatures in the 50s. "That still didn't help with the course. It's still tough."
Thirty-eight contestants left Lake Tholocco's West Beach parking lot, raced down Johnson Road before turning right on Christian Road. Competitors then turned around at the Faulkner Gate and followed the same path back to the beach.
The course follows a hilly terrain, and the race provided athletes "a good opportunity to put (themselves) out there" physically, Dason said.
Despite her triathlon background, Krueger said the race was her second "pure" biking event. She competed in this year's event in order to prepare her for an October Iron Man competition. In the competition, she will bike 112 miles.
"It's nice to get some speed work in," she said in reference to preparing for her upcoming long bike race.
Trophies were awarded for first through third place for both men and women. Nick Shamrell took home second for the men with a time of 27:15, while Derek Meckler turned in a time of 28:29 to earn third place.
Libby Rybacki finished second to Krueger with a time of 33:26, while Katherine Kinsel completed the course in 1:03.02.
Despite a lower turnout than last year's race, DFMWR Fitness Program Coordinator Caroline Driscoll said the race was a success because of the good weather and no injuries.
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