WRIGHT-PATTERSON AIR FORCE BASE, Ohio -- With more than 35 years of experience as a runner, Lt. Col. David M. Hardwick spends as much as 20 hours a week training for his third World Masters Games.
The chief of intelligence for the 445th Operations Support Squadron here will join more than 21,000 athletes from 82 countries in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada, July 23-31 to participate in one of the largest multi-sport games in the world. More than 1,000 of those athletes will take part in more than one of the 27 sports available to them.
“I am competing in four events – a triathlon, an 8K cross country race, a 1,600-meter relay and a 15,000-meter run,” Colonel Hardwick said.
Sharing the starting line with international competitors, he plans to stand out as the “American.”
“I’m there to wave the American flag,” he said.
As chief of intelligence for the Air Force Reserve Command squadron, the colonel spends much of his time searching for information and going above and beyond a normal day-to-day routine. He trains in a similar fashion.
“A lot of what we do is analytical,” he said. “I’m a driven person and in intel, the job never ends. You have to be well-organized. The same thing is true for being a triathlete.”
The colonel trains with several groups and about four coaches throughout the week.
“I normally train anywhere from 10-18 hours a week,” he said. “I love to train sometimes more than competing. Now, I’m actually ramping up. Between now and the World Masters, I’m sure I’m going to hit 20-hour weeks.”
Colonel Hardwick recognized his natural running talent early. He joined his high school cross-country team and quickly became part of the varsity team. His natural talent and personal drive has taken him to extreme levels. After competing in the 1998 World Masters Games in Portland, Ore., and the 2002 World Masters Games in Australia, he has developed a network among international competitors and has competed against Olympic athletes.
“It’s the world and where I feel I’m the closest to its cultures,” he said. “You come together at a common point. It’s really exciting.
“When I go to Edmonton, I hope to see people from Australia and Portland,” he said. “I just want a chance to race with them again. I raced against a guy from Guatemala and I hope I get to meet him again.”
Colonel Hardwick plans to finish the year with about 20 races. After the World Masters Games in July, he will compete in Hood-to-Coast in August and Ironman Florida in November. He participated in the 4th annual Outer Limits Triathlon in Columbus, Ohio, June 12, finishing second for his age group 50-54 against a fairly tough regional Ohio crowd.
In addition to his full-time job as an air reserve technician, he serves as the 445th Airlift Wing’s fitness coordinator, establishing the wing’s fit-to-fight program.
“I like to help other people achieve similar goals as mine,” he said.
USAF. (U.S. Air Force Graphic by Rosario "Charo" Gutierrez)