Race brings walker closer to Beijing Olympics goal.

Byline: Andrea Damewood The Register-Guard

Walking at breakneck speed may seem to be an oxymoron - until you see the way Teresa Vaill does it.

Elbows pumping furiously and feet moving faster than Fred Flintstone's when he powers his car, Vaill easily captured a No. 1 finish during an elite 20-kilometer race Sunday in Eugene.

Besting 17 other women, she earned a spot on the U.S. team for the International Association of Athletics Federations' World Race Walking Cup to be held May 10-11 in Cheboksary, Russia.

Vaill said Sunday's race, held near Autzen Stadium, is her first step to earning a top time during this summer's Olympic Track & Field Trials in Eugene, and, almost surely, a trip to Beijing in August.

Her time Sunday of 1 hour, 36 minutes and 19 seconds was already well below the Olympic "B" standard.But that's not quite good enough for the 45-year-old Florida resident, who wants to shave at least 3 minutes in order to nail down an "A" qualifying time. "A'' qualifiers are automatically eligible for an event, whereas "B" qualifiers are entered only if additional competitors are needed to make an event competitive.

"I wish I went a little faster. It's a little cool out so my legs just wouldn't move," she said, hardly winded after the endurance test. "I'm used to Florida weather."

Despite the unseasonably cool weather, Vaill said she's looking forward to returning to Eugene in June for the Trials, which may use the same 1-kilometer track near the stadium's south entrance for its competition.

Vaill said she plans to use the time between now and the Trials to train. Her only goal for the summer event is "to win," she said.

The year holds special meaning for the 25-year race walking veteran, who was a U.S. Olympic team member in 2004 - she'll be retiring after Beijing.

"I've gotten better as I've gotten older, because I learn more and more every year," she said before jokingly adding, "But this is my last year. I've been doing it for a long time - I've got to get a real job."

Race walking is a sport that allows people to continue competing at elite levels well beyond other track and field events, lap counter Darlene Backlund said.

The only two requirements for the race are to have one foot on the ground at all times and make sure your forward foot hits the ground with a straight knee, she said, both of which help reduce pressure to joints.

"Physically, it's much better on your body as you age," said Backlund, who is 62 and competes in master's races. "And there's a mental aspect; you can't just flop around and do whatever you want like runners can."

The women competitors were joined by 10 men who completed an earlier race. Missouri race walker Patrick Stroupe claimed the men's top spot with a time of 1:30:29. The top five men and women in each race clinched World Cup spots.

Most will be back for the Trials - a sight Backlund said fans should see.

"It's an amazing race," she said. "These are the best we have in the United States."