New Heat Wave

New Heat Wave

By Jay Unver

(Lehrton, Mississippi) If you have been wondering when things are going to cool down, don't expect it anytime soon. Things are heating up between Randy Beets and Zane Hodge. With Hodge setting record after record in the pool, it seems his call out of long-time rival Randy Beets is finally being heard. Beets answered Monday morning, September 30th in Morgantown, North Carolina with a new Big ASS world record in the 100 yard short course freestyle.

When told of Beets' accomplishment, Hodge seemed stunned, shaken, incredulous. "Really?" he kept asking over and over about Beets' 1:09 100 yard time. "It was witnessed? It was timed by someone competent? The pool was measured?"

The answer to all those questions is yes, yes, and yes. It is a new world's best, and now Hodge is no longer the only name in the record books.

When asked when he would try to break Beets' mark, Hodge replied, "I can't swim 1:09. Heck, I won the Mississippi State Senior Olympics at 1:15, and that was my fastest sprint in years. All I can say is if he can swim 1:09, he is a better sprinter than me."

When I asked him if he would try to train up to besting Beets' time, he hesitated before answering. "Well, I'll always think about it when I'm training."

We were at Plate City Gym and Hodge was doing bench presses. We talked between sets. 

"I'm not a sprinter. You know that," he reminded to me. He still seemed stunned. I was stunned to see Hodge apparently capitulate that distance to a man he has relished dominating for the past ten years.

He did a another set on the bench, eight reps at 105 pounds. 

"Aren't you going a bit light?" I asked.

"Yes. I'm starting a new cycle. You always drop down and rebuild."

He was quiet awhile. Then he added, "You know I set three records this morning." 

I had heard. It was the talk around Big ASS Headquarters that Hodge and Beets were assaulting each other in the water. Hodge set a new 5,500 meter time trial mark and en route to it broke two of his previous marks. He set new times for the 5,000 (1:49:51) and the 5,100 (1:51:59) lowering marks he set only last week.

"So I beat Beets three to one." he said after petting his dog Pee Wee. "I call that a victory. What do you call it?" he asked.

"A story," I answered. "I call it a story. See ya later; I'm gunna go write it."