Photo By Master Sgt. Blair Heusdens | Air Force 1st Lt. Christopher Matuszak, with Joint Task Force Guantanamo?s Commissions...... read more read more
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GUANTANAMO BAY, Cuba - Running 62.4 miles makes the 1.5 mile run for the Air Force physical fitness test seem like a breeze. Not everyone can complete an ultra-marathon, but Air Force 1st Lt. Christopher Matuszak, the budget and acquisitions officer for the Commissions Support Group at Joint Task Force Guantanamo, recently put himself through the grueling challenge at the Miwok 100K Trail Race in Marin Headlands, Calif.
Matuszak finished the May 2 race in 14 hours, 8 minutes and 26 seconds, two hours under the allotted 16 hours and 30 minutes. The race started with 322 runners, but just 260 finished the full 62.4 miles.
"Basically, we just beat the crap out of our bodies to try to finish," said Matuszak.
The Miwok 100K race is one of the most scenic races in the U.S., stretching across the very hilly terrain of western California and spanning approximately 10,000 feet of cumulative elevation gain. The weather was rainy and cool for California, with an average temperature of 55 degrees and Matuszak often had to wade through puddles of water on the narrow trails.
Matuszak completed the race as a personal challenge. In January, Matuszak attempted the Bandera 100K in Bandera, Texas, but finished short of his goal. This time, however, he was ready.
"I like adventure and doing things that most people wouldn't do," Matuszak said.
To train for the race, Matuszak runs four times a week with friends on base and has participated in 5K runs sponsored here. He feels that training in the heat at Guantanamo Bay made a difference, as well as Pilates classes he takes to strengthen his back. In the future, he plans to incorporate more weight training into his routine.
Trail running is significantly different from running on a hard, flat surface. He says the large hills on base were similar to those on the trail, with the largest one requiring a 45-minute climb. Matuszak has done most of his running at Guantanamo Bay on the roads, but enjoys trail running because it provides a more scenic, enjoyable experience and requires different muscles to excel.
"[When you run on a trail] you're more focused on the run and more in control of your body because you have to use more of your stabilization muscles," Matuszak said.
Aid stations were positioned throughout the route to provide water, food and encouragement to the runners. Matuszak's dad and sister came to the race and met him at the aid stations to provide moral support and encourage him along the way.
"Having my family there was extra special," said Matuszak. "It helps when you can see a familiar face there cheering you on."
Throughout the race, runners would often group together on the narrow track. Matuszak found that talking with other runners helped him to keep his mind off the task at hand.
"If I wasn't having fun, I wouldn't have kept going," Matuszak said.
Throughout the intense race, Matuszak tried to maintain a positive attitude to help keep him going. To pass the time, he sang songs in his head and listened to music on his iPOD. The final six miles proved to be the hardest because the battery on his iPOD had died and he was alone. But his determination to finish the race made him continue.
"[I kept telling myself,] I've never made it this far, I've got to keep going," Matuszak said.
Matuszak plans to continue to challenge himself physically and would like to participate in another 100K run in the future.
| Date Taken: | 05.08.2009 |
| Date Posted: | 05.13.2009 11:24 |
| Story ID: | 33563 |
| Location: | GUANTANAMO BAY, CU |
| Web Views: | 142 |
| Downloads: | 128 |
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