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Manas honors AF Birthday with full marathon

  • Published
  • By Staff Sgt. Olufemi Owolabi
  • 376th Air Expeditionary Wing Public Affairs
TRANSIT CENTER AT MANAS, Kyrgyzstan --  More than 50 runners here went all the way and put their fitness to the test - all because of the Air Force's 62nd Birthday.

The runners celebrated the Air Force Birthday at the Transit Center at Manas by participating in a 26.2-mile marathon and relay race hosted by the Manas Fitness Center Sept. 19.

The marathon, which started in the wee hours of the morning, ended after more than four hours of grueling running that took participants through uneven roads and all the way to the flightline.

"The weather was perfect for the Air Force's Birthday Deployed Location Marathon," said Pamela Browning, 376th Expeditionary Force Support Squadron's Fitness Center. "With over 25 volunteers and staff, the race went off without a problem. Participants commented how well the event was prepared and run. The course with all of its terrain changes gave runners a challenge."

The marathon was organized to accommodate different age groups. The race also allowed members, who wanted to run the 26.2-mile race as a team. There were two- and four-person relay teams.

"The race brought out veteran marathoners as well as first timers making it truly an event for all," Miss Browning said. "One two-man team even completed the course as a half marathon with a Ruck March. We even had individuals that had either already completed their run or volunteered to run with other runners to keep them going until the end. That is what it's all about, doing your best and being there as a wingman/battle buddy."

Master Sgt. Michael Bunting, a C-17 electrical environmental engineer, the overall winner of the marathon, finished the race in 3 hours, 1 minute, 35 seconds. Sergeant Bunting, who was transiting through Manas on his way to Kandahar Airfield, Afghanistan, is deployed from Charleston Air Force Base, S.C.

Winners of the 2009 Air Force Birthday Marathon and their categories are:

Ages 18-29:
First-place winner - Senior Airman Keil Barnard

Ages 30-39:
First place -- Capt. Jeff Guttman
Second place -- Staff Sgt. Bucky Harris

Ages 40-49:
Master Sgt. Michael Bunting (overall marathon winner)
Maj. Michael Colvard
Mr. Victor Tyumentsev

Ages 50 and above:
Maj. Jeff Danielson

Teams:
Two-Person Relay:
1st place: Maj Michael Colvard and Mr. Victor Tyumentsev
2nd place: Ms. Mary Winkle and Tech. Sgt. Adam Harris
3rd place Senior Master Sgt. Dianna Vallely and Capt. Mary Thigpen

Four-Person Relay:
1st place: Master Sgt. Steve Gray, Capt. John Wheeler, Capt. Chris Latcham and Kassia Regher
2nd place: Master Sgt. Andy Peck, Tech. Sgt. Lucky Underwood, Staff Sgt. Mike Alvarez and Staff Sgt. Celsa Reyes
3rd Place: Capt. Jeff Fries, Senior Master Sgt. James Pittman, 2nd Lt. Reyne Hochstein and Col. Chris Patterson

Ruck March Half Marathoners:
Capt. Mathew Tower and Master Sgt. Chad Woodman.

For details on more Fitness Center events, call 441-5749.