Eric and Beth Heiden 1980

[earlfoss]

I found these in an old photo album of mine and thought I'd share. Please do not repost or use without asking me first.

http://img.tapatalk.com/d/14/04/26/urupu6ym.jpghttp://img.tapatalk.com/d/14/04/26/agudy9y3.jpghttp://img.tapatalk.com/d/14/04/26/bu2a8egy.jpghttp://img.tapatalk.com/d/14/04/26/8e5usu9u.jpghttp://img.tapatalk.com/d/14/04/26/gytu7u5a.jpg


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[earlfoss]

http://img.tapatalk.com/d/14/04/26/7aqa3y5a.jpghttp://img.tapatalk.com/d/14/04/26/avege8aj.jpghttp://img.tapatalk.com/d/14/04/26/egamajap.jpghttp://img.tapatalk.com/d/14/04/26/ymu5y6yq.jpghttp://img.tapatalk.com/d/14/04/26/nede5uze.jpghttp://img.tapatalk.com/d/14/04/26/save4yja.jpg


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[earlfoss]

I have more but this is good for now.


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[bobswire]

Thanks for sharing!

[e-RICHIE]

That's Sarah Doctor in the curly locks atmo.
Another skating and cycling phenom.

ps

arrange disorder

:):):rolleyes:
:p:p:rolleyes:
:cool:;):)

[earlfoss]

Sara still rides and is pretty fast to this day!


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[gasman]

How cool. Thanks for sharing. Amazing athletes.

[e-RICHIE]

Sara still rides and is pretty fast to this day!


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And broke many hearts atmo.

[r_mutt]

amazing pics.

thanks!

[DoubleButted]

Beth lived in Houghton, MI for a number of years in the mid '80s while I was going to school there. She was instrumental in getting a lot of XC ski trails developed in the area. Definitely a class act.

[tiretrax]

Thank you for posting those. I hope the others make it to the forum.

[skijoring]

So great, thanks Earlfoss.

[Dale Alan]

Very cool,thanks for sharing that . I saw them in Colorado I think in 1981 while I was at the Coors Classic .It was a big deal.

[54ny77]

those awe awesome photos. thanks.

[Shortsocks]

Wow! Those are great pics. I'm having serious leg envy right now. I'm not ashamed to say, it sucks being a lightweight climber right now. :bike:

[witcombusa]

That's Sarah Doctor in the curly locks atmo.
Another skating and cycling phenom.

ps

arrange disorder

:):):rolleyes:
:p:p:rolleyes:
:cool:;):)


Here's Sarah @ the 1980 Coors Classic on the bike ( and wondering who the hell is calling her!)

[witcombusa]

Here's links to a couple great pixs of Eric back in the day. Someone recently made reference to cyclist with "pipe cleaner" arms. Well, Heiden wasn't one of them!

http://www.pbase.com/zidar/image/85009652

http://www.pbase.com/zidar/image/96156648

http://www.pbase.com/zidar/image/96530744

[e-RICHIE]

Here's Sarah @ the 1980 Coors Classic on the bike ( and wondering who the hell is calling her!)

I was there as the Shimano Women's Team mechanic atmo.

ps

arrange disorder

:):):p
:rolleyes::rolleyes::p
:p:p:cool:

[witcombusa]

I was there as the Shimano Women's Team mechanic atmo.

ps

arrange disorder

:):):p
:rolleyes::rolleyes::p
:p:p:cool:


I don't know how I could have missed you! ;)

[e-RICHIE]

I don't know how I could have missed you! ;)

I was the Shimano Team mechanic at the Zinger/Coors from 1979 through 1982.
Were you there racing or just hanging around the team vans??

ps

arrange disorder

:):cool::cool:
:cool::cool::rolleyes:
:p:p:p

[72gmc]

Thank you for the great pics. The Heidens are inspiring, and not just for what they were born with.

[JLNK]

Met Eric Heiden and another member of the team during his speed skating days. I was going out with a women who had a friend who lived next to the Heiden's in Madison, WI. Those guys had legs that were pretty impressive.

[saab2000]

I remember these events with the Heidens and with Sarah Doctor well. They are I guess part of the reason I got into cycling. The races came through my hometown of Appleton, WI and I watched as many as I could.

Nice pics!

Everyone in Wisconsin loved Eric and Beth Heiden for their achievements and their general likability.

[witcombusa]

I was the Shimano Team mechanic at the Zinger/Coors from 1979 through 1982.
Were you there racing or just hanging around the team vans??

ps

arrange disorder

:):cool::cool:
:cool::cool::rolleyes:
:p:p:p


So who made those "AMF" branded bikes for the ladies?

I see Eric is on a Tom Ritchey in the '84 pix...

[pbarry]

Here's links to a couple great pixs of Eric back in the day. Someone recently made reference to cyclist with "pipe cleaner" arms. Well, Heiden wasn't one of them!

http://www.pbase.com/zidar/image/85009652

http://www.pbase.com/zidar/image/96156648

http://www.pbase.com/zidar/image/96530744

The last image shows a much slimmer Heiden, after a year or two of bike racing. Iirc, he lost 30+ lbs.

[shovelhd]

Met Eric Heiden and another member of the team during his speed skating days. I was going out with a women who had a friend who lived next to the Heiden's in Madison, WI. Those guys had legs that were pretty impressive.

I met him in the Boston Mayor's Cup as he smoked me going for a backstretch prime.

[William]

Very cool, thank you for posting these.:cool:


Unbeknown to Eric, a few of my most dreaded and effective warm up exercises where created by watching him going through speed skating drills.:D








William

[e-RICHIE]

So who made those "AMF" branded bikes for the ladies?
You'd have to unearth Nick to find out the back story atmo.

ps

arrange disorder

:p:p:p
;););)
:cool::cool::rolleyes:

[Scooper]

Schwinn featured Eric on a couple of catalog covers in the early eighties. He's had a wonderfully productive life.

http://www.trfindley.com/flschwinn_1981_1990/1981_01.JPG

http://www.trfindley.com/flschwinn_1981_1990/1982_01.JPG

[jvp]

Was he on a paramount?
edit> now I see the schwinn ad.

[Cornfed]

For my money, his 1980 Winter Olympics was the greatest Olympic performance ever. Five individual events, five gold medals, five Olympic records. We'll not see his like again.

[gomango]

For my money, his 1980 Winter Olympics was the greatest Olympic performance ever. Five individual events, five gold medals, five Olympic records. We'll not see his like again.

I'm thinking the same thing.

We talked about Eric on the ride today. We had total agreement that the Olympics could use a refresh and a strong newcomer in any sport that could bring this level of performance and dominance.

Makes me long for the good 'ol days.

[witcombusa]

Just a few more pix you might enjoy...

[saab2000]

Did he finish the 1985 Giro?

[pbarry]

Yes.

[saab2000]

Yes.

That's what I remembered too. Excellent! I know he didn't finish the 1986 Tour, which was unfortunate, but at least he did one of the Grand Tours. Quite and athlete and quite an accomplished post-athletic career too!

[93legendti]

Eric Heiden had an incredible Olympics in 1980, but Spitz in '72 and Phelps in '08 might have him beat...

[shovelhd]

Eric Heiden had an incredible Olympics in 1980, but Spitz in '72 and Phelps in '08 might have him beat...

No doubt that swimming is significantly more popular than cycling.

[saab2000]

All of these athletes who dominate their sport are remarkable. To me there is no question that Michael Phelps is the most successful Olympian ever. Their ability to compete in all the events is amazing. It's like Carl Lewis winning the 100 meter dash and the marathon. Or at least the 10,000 meter race. It would be insane.

Athletes like these are rare and would probably succeed in any sport they choose.

[witcombusa]

No doubt that swimming is significantly more popular than cycling.

I can't imagine why....

[pbarry]

Swimmin' ain't cyclin'.. Heiden is probably one of the most successful endurance cross-over athletes ever.

BTW, and lost in the rear view, is that Beth Heiden was World Champion in two sports and excelled at three..

[bcm119]

All of these athletes who dominate their sport are remarkable. To me there is no question that Michael Phelps is the most successful Olympian ever. Their ability to compete in all the events is amazing. It's like Carl Lewis winning the 100 meter dash and the marathon. Or at least the 10,000 meter race. It would be insane.

Athletes like these are rare and would probably succeed in any sport they choose.

Phelps wouldn't be competitive in the 50m free in the olympics, nor the 1500. He's a middle distance guy... but an incredibly rare and talented one.

[93legendti]

All 3 are beyond description. For Heiden to haul that massively muscled body of his over mountain passes with world class cyclists is simply amazing. Heiden's physique almost made Davis Phinney look like a climber.

[Sean Mac]

Thanks for all of the great photos.

I was in 8th grade when the 1980 Olympics took place. I vividly remember watching the TV coverage and reading in the newspaper about all of Eric Heiden's accomplishments. The images put a smile on my face and reminded me about those (seemingly) simpler times.

[buddybikes]

Heard story about Beth going to college (Univ of Vermont (for some reason I thought is was Middlebury. Never got on cross country skis before and by the end of the first season she anchored the x-country relay.

[earlfoss]

I posted those using my iphone and looks like a few got chopped weirdly. You guys get the gist though!

Thanks for the nice words. I'll probably put them all into a folder online somewhere when I have the time and for better ease of sharing.

The Heiden's legend is still strong here and there are a few generations of athletes who either met them or drew inspiration from them here in the Madison area.

[rphetteplace]

Speaking of speed skaters we've done a leukemia ride several times with Bonnie Blair. She is one of the nicest, funniest people you'll ever meet.

[Repack Rider]

Did he finish the 1985 Giro?

I went to the 1985 Giro, the first European Grand Tour to feature an American team (with a Dutch sponsor). The coach of the team was my longtime friend Mike Neel, and I called in a few favors from him to help me deal with my absolute inexperience as to what took place at a grand tour.

I covered the race for Cyclist Magazine. The article ran in the August 1985 issue.

Somewhere there is a microcassette recording of an interview I did with Eric while we sat on the infield of some velodrome, probably the Vigorelli in Milan. Can't remember whether I ever transcribed it, but if I did I wouldn't be able to find it now.

Eric isn't built for a grand tour, he's pretty bulky for the mountains, but you have to admire his guts for giving it a shot.

On the first day of the Giro, just as I arrived at the 7/Eleven team HQ in Verona, Eric was unpacking some jerseys and shorts supplied by the Castelli company. The Castelli logo is a scorpion, and as he unpacked the clothing, he came across a REAL scorpion in the same box. No harm, no foul, laughs all around and a great story. Maybe Castelli throws the live one in for free.

[saab2000]

I went to the 1985 Giro, the first European Grand Tour to feature an American team (with a Dutch sponsor). The coach of the team was my longtime friend Mike Neel, and I called in a few favors from him to help me deal with my absolute inexperience as to what took place at a grand tour.

I covered the race for Cyclist Magazine. The article ran in the August 1985 issue.

Somewhere there is a microcassette recording of an interview I did with Eric while we sat on the infield of some velodrome, probably the Vigorelli in Milan. Can't remember whether I ever transcribed it, but if I did I wouldn't be able to find it now.

Eric isn't built for a grand tour, he's pretty bulky for the mountains, but you have to admire his guts for giving it a shot.

On the first day of the Giro, just as I arrived at the 7/Eleven team HQ in Verona, Eric was unpacking some jerseys and shorts supplied by the Castelli company. The Castelli logo is a scorpion, and as he unpacked the clothing, he came across a REAL scorpion in the same box. No harm, no foul, laughs all around and a great story. Maybe Castelli throws the live one in for free.

Awesome! Those were exciting days for US cycling, that's for certain! Andy Hampsten and Ron Kiefel both won stages.

[unterhausen]

If you lived near Madison in the late '70s, you could race the Heidens in the weekly training races out at the airport. One time at a local race, I was sitting in a prime spot near the course and Eric sat down next to me. I knew his legs were massive, but seeing them up close was a revelation -- his thighs were nearly as big around as my waist.