Nordheim making his way back

Nick Nordheim was trackside, a stopwatch in his hand.

For a few hours Tuesday night, he was back in his element.

'It may have been a little too long, but it was worth it,” Nordheim said Wednesday morning.

The girls' track and field coach at Williamsburg High School, Nordheim made an appearance at his team's meet at Grinnell, 23 days after suffering a major electric shock.

'It was awesome. The girls competed hard and we had some great results,” said Nordheim, 36. 'It was awesome being surrounded by all those great people again.”

He has no recollection of the events of April 5, when he and boys' coach Matt Matthes were preparing the grounds for a home meet.

Nordheim and Matthes were moving a portable goal post when they came in contact with an electrical line. Nordheim was shocked and lost consciousness immediately. Matthes was not shocked, and was able to break Nordheim free and call for help.

'A lot of things had to go perfect for both of us to be alive, and for both of us to have all of our limbs,” Nordheim said.

Nordheim was transported to the University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics where he was treated for burns, the worst of which were suffered on his feet, his lower back and along his waistline. He can't bear weight on his feet, and remains on crutches.

The worst part, Nordheim said, wasn't the burns. It was the hiccups that wouldn't go away.

'I think when I was shocked, it irritated a nerve,” he said. 'At its worst, I had the hiccups, every four seconds, for 48 hours straight. You can't sleep, you can't eat.”

With the help of medication, the hiccups subsided after about a week.

A science teacher at the high school, Nordheim is covered in the classroom by a long-term substitute. Assistant Abby Sanchez is leading the track team onsite, with Nordheim compiling the workouts and meet rosters.

Nordheim still faces obstacles. It remains to be seen how well the former runner at Waukon and the University of Iowa will be able to run. He plans to purchase a bicycle for the cross country season.

But he knows this: He is lucky. And he is loved.

'I'm so grateful for the response I've gotten from Williamsburg, and from other coaches,” he said. 'It's been completely overwhelming. We haven't cooked a meal since I got hurt. We still have $200 of gift certificates for the Pizza Haus (in Williamsburg). And I love the Pizza Haus.

'I truly feel my life is better because of what happened, and I think it happened for a reason. I got another chance to do some great things, and it shows I need to do more for others.”

DRAKE RELAYS: KEEPING SCORE

They don't keep team scores at the Drake Relays, but if they did, a small school would have fielded the boys' champion.

West Burlington-Notre Dame won four boys' events, including the first 400-meter relay title for a non-4A school since 1927. Using conventional eight-place scoring, the Falcons would have scored 57 points, followed by West Des Moines Dowling (49), Waukee (44) and Johnston (42).

Pleasant Valley would have had top-eight finishes in nine events and would have led the girls' field with 70 points, followed by Waukee (59) and Linn-Mar (55).

l Comments: (319) 368-8857; jeff.linder@thegazette.com