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Running for the King

  • Published
SOUTHWEST ASIA --  About 150 servicemembers, Department of Defense civilian and contract personnel, and coalition partners took part in the Armed Forces MLK run Jan. 18, 2010 at an air base in Southwest Asia.

The 10- and 5-kilometer run, which traversed the base's sometimes rough and uneven terrain, was held in honor of Martin Luther King Jr., on the day of the annual observance.

The event sponsor, HFP Racing, held a stateside race in conjunction with the race here. The Ohio company solicited participants to run and log the roughly 7,000-mile distance between Ohio and the undisclosed location where the race was held.  

"It was great to see the whole event come together with so many great people involved," said Staff Sgt. Christopher Ensman, 386th Air Expeditionary Wing event coordinator. "Especially the 386th Force Support Squadron and HFP Racing. They worked around the clock to get this and a number of other things planned for us -- connecting the 7,000-plus miles from Columbus, Ohio, to here."

"One of the highlights was watching the last runner come in, finishing with about 10 people running alongside him for the last 500 yards; while members from all the services cheered him on," said the Shelby, Ohio, native. "It was a fitting tribute on MLK Day."

Top finishers were:

10-kilometer men's division:
Airman 1st Class Brian Brockoff, 42:55
Special Agent Kevin Toups, 43:05
Senior Airman Trevor Smith, 44:00

10-kilometer women's division:
Australian Cpl. Cath Deeks, 49:58
Airman 1st Class Kirsten Van Dusseldorp, 51:25
Tech. Sgt. Mary Atkinson, 52:26

5-kilometer men's division:
Staff Sgt. David Havice, 20:53
Staff Sgt. Jacob Ropp, 21:30
Capt. Mathew Olsen, 21:55

5-kilometer women's division:
Staff Sgt. Laura Arnold, 25:38
Senior Airman Xanadu Moldenhauer, 26:28
Staff Sgt. Eddylou Potts, 26:38