Bits & Pieces: First Columbia Triathlon winners still on the run after 25 years

Stan Ber
howardcountysports@patuxent.com

Posted 10/01/09

Until I received an e-mail a few days ago, it had been a long time since I heard from Reg Hahne or Steve Ruckert. Both coached high school sports for many years -- Reg did boys soccer at Atholton while Steve coached cross country and track at Glenelg. Both men are also in the annals of Howard County athletics for their own athletic achievements. They were the first two winners of the Columbia Triathlon. Reg beat Steve in 1984, to win the very first Columbia triathlon. In 1985, they reversed places.

They are still competing.

On Sept. 26, Steve won his age group (60-64) at the ITU World Duathlon Championships in Concord, N.C. Steve completed the 10k run, 41k bike and 5k run in 2 hours, 5 minutes, 23 seconds, beating his nearest competitor by more than 44 seconds.

Steve told Reg that the race was "technically challenging, but always within his grasp" especially when the 5k run started.

While Steve was competing in North Carolina, Reg was setting two 55-59 age group swimming records at the Maryland Senior Olympics, in Germantown. Reg swam the 200-yard freestyle in 2:13.7, breaking the previous mark by more than six seconds. He took more than 10 seconds off the 500 freestyle with his 5:59.3 effort.

"I think it's important for our fellow competitors and the young folk that both Steve and I come in contact with every day to know that athletic participation does not end after high school or college, and finding a lifetime sport that you can participate in, whether you're competitive or not, is a chosen lifestyle and should be cherished for what it can do for your body and soul," Reg wrote.

Reg, who now teaches at Marriotts Ridge, and Steve, who retired from Glenelg a few years ago, partnered with Mike Prada, a former Howard County cross country standout, to win the relay division of the Columbia Triathlon this year. They hope to defend their title in 2010.