Photo By Rachel Larue | Participants in the first Naval Sea Systems Command Remembrance 5K/1.5 mile walk start...... read more read more
JOINT BASE MYER-HENDERSON HALL, Va. - The objectives were clear and the mission was accomplished.
The orders of the day this Sept. 16 were to smile, run, walk, celebrate and remember.
Over 700 runners and walkers, the majority of them from the Washington Navy Yard, traveled the few blocks to Joint Base Myer-Henderson Hall’s Fort McNair for the first-ever NAVSEA Navy Yard Remembrance 5K run and walk.
One year following the shooting at the southeast D.C. headquarters of the Naval Sea Systems Command, fellow workers ran and walked to remember the 12 who were killed that September morning.
“It’s good to see everybody here with smiles on their faces. That was one of the goals today,” race organizer Wendy Christofferson said moments before bell tolls started the race and walk.
“The reason we are holding this [race] is to remember our fallen comrades. We want to show as a community as NAVSEA that we can be knocked down but we can stand back up again. We have courage and strength to move on.”
Significant numbers were also remembered that day with a profound touch. Bib numbers 12 and 197 were not issued to runners or walkers.
“The 12 represents the 12 we lost, and 197 was the building number,” race staff member Lindsay Webster explained.
Following the race, the framed bibs are to be placed in Navy Yard’s building 197 as another reminder to remember.
Wearing bib number 1, Navy Vice Adm. William Hunter Hilarides, commander, Naval Sea Systems Command, praised the race participants and the staff for assembling the up-beat event.
“Two messages for today-the first is already in the done pile. That is to never forget,” Hilarides said. “What we did this morning [a memorial service at the Navy Yard] is the standard to make sure we never forget. The second part is to move forward together. As I came out of Buzzard [Point], I saw this crowd and the energy and enthusiasm and the positive motivation and positive energy. It really is a testament to Wendy’s vision.”
Christofferson’s vision of a remembrance race and walk was formulated following the shootings. Now, she and her staff plan an annual NAVSEA Navy Yard Remembrance 5K and walk.
On hand to boost already-soaring morale were Washington Nationals Racing Presidents George, Tom and Abe. The larger-than-life trio posed for pictures and hammed it up on the 5K race course.
The men’s overall winner was Michael Ryan, while Heather Dougherty was the women’s winner.
In other JBM-HH long-distance race news, on Sept. 12 at the Fort Myer Fitness Center, the Military District of Washington Audie Murphy Club hosted 40 runners for a 9/11 Memorial 5K race.
| Date Taken: | 09.18.2014 |
| Date Posted: | 09.18.2014 13:27 |
| Story ID: | 142553 |
| Location: | JOINT BASE MYER-HENDERSON HALL, VA, US |
| Web Views: | 534 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
This work, Running to reflect: 700 gather at Fort McNair for lively Navy Yard memorial run, walk, by Jim Dresbach, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
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