Combined Joint Task Force-82
KANDAHAR AIRFIELD, Afghanistan — The 82nd Aviation Association, the Morale, Welfare and Recreation organization and 82nd Combat Aviation Brigade sponsored a 10-kilometer run Sept. 11.
The "Run to Remember" was held in remembrance of those who suffered as a result of the terrorism attacks on Sept. 11, 2001.
Approximately 90 people participated in the event, all of whom received a free T-shirt for participating, according to Army Warrant Officer Martha Ervin, assigned to the National Command Element – South and a Los Alamitos, Calif., native, who helped coordinate the event.
Participants of the event included citizens of various nations who also wished to show their support, such as civilian contractor Julian Cardinal from Montreal who participated in the event because of the race and the memorial.
Runners in the event expressed a need to observe the events that occurred six years ago.
"I'm here to remember those who went down on 9/11," said contractor Anthony D. Glover, Biometric Automated Toolset administrator from Richmond, Va. "I feel as though it's important to come out here and (observe) all the memorials that we can. We won't forget how important it is to be here."
Others looked at the event as a time to bring people together.
"It's a day when we all need to come together and remember why we're here," said Air Force Maj. Jose Aleman, NCE-S personnel officer and race participant from San Antonio.
The participants of the 'Run to Remember' had no shortage of patriotism, but make no mistake, they we're also there to race.
"I stay race ready year round," Glover said. "I'm (going to) start off at a 7:30 (minutes:seconds per mile) pace, get into the groove, and then pick it up a little bit."
Air Force 2nd Lt. Brandon Bryan, part of the NCE, won the 10K with a time of 37 minutes, 30 seconds.
"I haven't run this far in a while. I didn't really know what to expect," Bryan said. "But, remembrance of 9/11 gave me good motivation to run today."
For Army Warrant Officer Donna Bivins, stationed out of Fort Bragg, N.C., who was the first female to cross the finish line, with a time of 45:39, a 10K run is just routine.
"I did a lap (around the airfield) before we started actually," Bivins said, after having run more than a total of 12 miles before 7 a.m.
After seeing the runners in good spirits and having fun, Ervin declared the event a success.
"The event had a very good turn out. We had more people than we anticipated," Ervin said. "We'll put it on again next year."