Photo By Sgt. Thomas Kappus | Service members break from the starting line in the early morning in a 10K shadow run...... read more read more
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CONTINGENCY OPERATING BASE BASRA, Iraq – A physical training formation at 6:30 a.m. on an Army base is not unusual - during a deployment, it’s a rare sight. But on March 27, service members and civilians gathered in the early morning hours to participate in a 10K run organized by the 36th Infantry Division.
This 10K held here was a shadow run to coincide with an event held back in Austin on the same day.
Staff Sgt. Luis Barron, technology non-commissioned officer assigned to the 36th Infantry Division Special Troops Battalion, came in first with a finish time of 40 minutes, 39 seconds. Chief Warrant Officer 2 Lisa Buckley, property book officer, was the first female finisher with a time of 42 minutes, 34 seconds.
“Every year the city of Austin holds a capitol 10k run”, said chief warrant officer Christy Clements, a human resources technician for the 36th Infantry Division and one of the organizers for the run. “Since the majority of us are from the great state of Texas and within the city limits of Austin itself, we decided to be co-participants in this year’s race and run alongside our brothers and sisters back home.”
The run was open to anyone currently at Basra and had no official registration before the event. Fun runs like this are common for deployment zones as it gives service members the opportunity to not only get some exercise, but also to build morale.
“It's good for your physical fitness and I always enjoy running,” said Lt. Col. Paul Hains, the 36th Infantry Division space operations officer from Houston, Texas. “I run a lot on deployments since it breaks up the monotony.”
The turnout for the runs has also been greater than expected; averaging over a hundred participants per event, especially considering that the runs are completely voluntary and the runners could have just as easily stayed in bed to catch up on their sleep before starting their next work shift.
Participation in the runs also directly supports the physical pillar of the Army’s Comprehensive Soldier Fitness program.
Due to the mission tempo, it isn’t very often that organized fun run events can be scheduled. On COB Basra, it has averaged out to about one run a month. Distances are staggered to allow people who might not be able to train ahead of time to still compete.
| Date Taken: | 03.27.2011 |
| Date Posted: | 04.01.2011 02:50 |
| Story ID: | 68077 |
| Location: | CONTINGENCY OPERATING BASE BASRA, IQ |
| Web Views: | 63 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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