Today's Washington Post Relays News of Apparent Suicide
The U.S. Olympic 50 kilometer Race Walk Trials held on Sunday, February 15, 2004 in Chula Vista, CA:

"Under sunny skies and temperatures in the high 40s at the beginning of the race, a tight pack that included Clausen, Seaman, Dunn, and Chula Vista residents Sean Albert and Al Heppner led the remainder of the field at the 8 km mark. Shortly thereafter, Heppner, who showed good form with his runner-up finish at the 2004 USA 30 km Championships on January 11 (2:16:52), bolted from the pack to grab a 20-meter lead.

Over the next 20 kilometers, Heppner kept building his lead, and at the 30 km mark he held a 1 minute, 51 second margin over Seaman, Clausen and Albert. Heppner's lead dwindled to 1:07 at the 34 km mark, and in a dramatic and sudden reversal, at the 36 km point in the race Heppner was trailing Clausen and Dunn by 40 yards. "

Al Heppner's post-race comment on his performance: I was going to stay with the pack, but Curt stopped to use the bathroom after picking up the pace a little bit, so I was able to separate myself and I decided to just roll with it. I was feeling good until about 31 or 32K when it just fell apart. I'm not sure what happened. I thought my fitness was good enough to hold the pace and I was pretty good for a while. This is disappointing. In retrospect, I should have just stayed with the pack.

Press release from USA Track & Field dated Thursday, February 19, 2004 - They were notified that U.S. race walker Spc. Albert (Al) Heppner died Wednesday night. He was 29.

A member of the United States Army World Class Athlete Program, Heppner was a resident athlete who trained at the U.S. Olympic Training Center in Chula Vista, Calif. He placed fifth in the U.S. Olympic Team Trials for the 50 km Race Walk on Sunday, February 15, in Chula Vista.

Born April 24, 1974 in Columbia, Md., Heppner graduated from Howard High School in Ellicott City, Md., in 1992. He was introduced to race walking in 1989 when one of his track teammates bet him a dollar not to enter a race. He later went to Wisconsin-Parkside and embarked in earnest on his walking career. In addition to his athletic endeavors, Heppner also was an aspiring journalist.

A member of the United States Army World Class Athlete Program, Heppner was a resident athlete who trained at the U.S. Olympic Training Center in Chula Vista, Calif. He placed fifth in the U.S. Olympic Team Trials for the 50 km Race Walk on Sunday, February 15, in Chula Vista.

One of America's most accomplished race walkers, Heppner had achieved several top finishes in national competitions, including placing first at the USA 5 km Race Walk Championships in 2002, second at the USA 30 km Race Walk Championships in 2004, second at the USA 15 km and 20 km Race Walk Championships in 2002, and second at the USA 50 km Race Walk Championships in 1999, and represented Team USA at the Pan American Race Walk Cup in 2001 and 1998, as well as the IAAF World Race Walk Cup in 1999.

He was ranked #2 nationally in the 20 km race walk in 2002 by Track & Field News. As a collegian at the University of Wisconsin-Parkside, Heppner was an NAIA All-American and the NAIA 5 km Race Walk National Champion in 1997, the year he graduated.

According to Thomas Heath's page 1, Sports, the Washington Post, story (Friday, February 20, 2004) Al Heppner died of an apparent suicide - his motor vehicle was parked near a bridge in the San Diego area and the California Highway Patrol reported to teammates that his body had been found in brush below the bridge.

"Al was a great athlete and a great advocate for the entire sport of track and field, most particularly the race walk," said USATF CEO Craig Masback. "The entire track and field community mourns his passing and will miss him. Our sympathies go to his family."

From Al Heppner's Biography on the USATF Website:

Career Highlights: 2nd at 1999 U.S. 50 km Champs; 3rd at 
2001 
USA Indoors; 4th 2001 U.S. 50km; 1996 NAIA race walk champion at 
Wisconsin-Parkside and national record holder; 1996 Collegiate 
20km road walk champ. 
Heppner [was] part of a group of walkers that trains at the 
Olympic 
Training Center at Chula Vista, Calif. He [was] also a member of 
the Army World Class Athlete Program and a graduate student at 
San Diego State University. Heppner was introduced to race 
walking in 1989 when one of his track teammates bet him a dollar 
not to enter a race. He later went to Wisconsin-Parkside on a 
track scholarship before heading west to the Olympic Training 
Center. Besides competing, Heppner also [was] a writer for the 
North American Race Walking Foundation and an aspiring 
journalist. 
2003: 7th at USA Outdoors 20km (1:32:22)...2nd at Kenosha 
20 km 
(1:32:33)...runner-up at USA 15 km (1:06:58) & 10 km 
Championships 
(44:47)...best of 1:32:22.
2002: 2nd at USA 20 km Champs (1:27.56.46)...1st at USA 5 
km 
Champs (21:51)...2nd at USA 15 km Champs (1:09.43)...DQ at USA 
10 km 
Champs...4th at U.S. 40 km Champs (3:27.43)...ranked #2 in U.S. 
at 
20 km by T&FN...best of 1:27.56.46. 
2001: 3rd at USA Indoor 5km (20:28.60)...4th USA 50km 
Champs 
(4:22:03)...4th at USA 20km Champs (1:31:23)...DQ'ed at Pan 
American 
Race Walk Cup...ranked #6 in 20K & #4 at 50K in U.S. by 
T&FN...best 
of 1:27:48 and 4:22:03 
2000: DNF at Olympic 50km Trials...3rd at USA Indoor 5km 
(21:13). 
1999: 2nd at USA 50km Race Walk Champs/World Cup 
Trials...81st in 
20km walk at IAAF World Race Walk Cup in Mezidon/Deauville, 
France (1:34:35)...7th in 20km at USA Outdoors 
(1:29:34)....ranked 
#6 at 20km and #2 at 50km in U.S. by T&FN...bests of 1:26:50 and 
3:58:45. 
1998: 5th at USA Outdoors...3rd at USA Indoor 5km (20:39)...11th 
at 
Pan Am Race Walk Cup, ranked #5 at 20km #4 at 50km in U.S. by 
T&FN...bests of 1:37:29 and 4:18:01. 
1997: Won NAIA 5km walk in new NAIA record...9th in 20km at USA 
Outdoors...ranked #10 in U.S. at 20km by T&FN...best of 1:29:43. 
1996: 11th at Olympic Trials...won NAIA 20km race walk 
title...best 
of 1:29:12. 
1995: 12th at USA Outdoors...3rd at NAIA 5km...best of 1:31:53. 
1994: 2nd in 5km walk at NAIA...5th at Olympic Festival...8th at 
USA 
Indoor 5km (21:31)...best of 1:32:18. 
1993: 2nd in 5km walk at NAIA...3rd at USA Juniors...best of 
1:34:02. 

Please stay in touch with your running and walking friends - it's OK to care! drew@runwashington.com