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Liberandos challenge themselves to complete Manas half-marathon

  • Published
  • By Tech. Sgt. Michael Voss
  • 376th Air Expeditionary Wing Public Affairs
MANAS AIR BASE, KYRGYZ REPUBLIC --  More than 100 runners from the "Liberando" team took to the streets and roads here, Aug 31, to culminate weeks of training for the Manas half marathon.

In the early morning hours Sunday, the deployed members started the day with a prayer for the safety of those running and with the beep of a stop watch, the runners were off.

During the course of a deployment, it is not uncommon for many servicemembers to adopt a better physical conditioning regimen, but even some of the more conditioned runners finished this 13.1 mile course in a blistering pace.

376th Expeditionary Operations Group Commander, Lt. Col. Murray Clark, finished as the day's top runner in a blazing fast one hour, 26 minutes; but finishing first or last, each participant accomplished a personal goal, proving to themselves they could do it.

"Having never run more than about eight miles in my life, I wanted to see how I'd do at a longer run so this was my first half-marathon," said 376th Expeditionary Civil Engineer Squadron Commander, Lt. Col. Aaron Benson. "The way the base promoted the event and the sheer number of others who participated was my main motivators besides my personal ambitions."

In addition to over 80 individual runners who completed the entire 13.1 mile race, 20 more partnered up to compete in the run as a team, splitting the course to six and a half miles each.

"I was asked by someone to participate in the relay. They wanted to run in the half marathon but didn't think they could complete the full 13.1 miles," said Capt. Cristin Miller, 376th Air Expeditionary Wing Sexual Assault Response Coordinator. "I felt the same way so I agreed to do it. After completing my half of the run, I felt pretty good and decided finish and continued to run...more like a slow jog," she said.

But the half marathon was not limited to elite athletes. Some of the participants enjoyed the event at a more relaxed pace.

"This was the first half-marathon I had ever done," said 376th Expeditionary Operations Support Squadron Director of Operations, Capt. Celina Noyes. "We (Lt. Col Sarah Ducharme) didn't plan to run the race, but walk. We knew everyone needed to finish by 9:30 a.m., so we made sure that we were done before the time limit," she said.

"It was wonderful to be a part of the half marathon and I am glad that walkers were allowed to participate in the run," said Lt. Col. Sarah Ducharme, 376 Expeditionary Medical Group general surgeon.

Although for most it was a lot of preparation, after weeks on the track and treadmill, most runners said that other than the pain, they would do it again if not just to prove to themselves they could.

"I was sorer from a practice 13.1 mile run I did a few weeks ago than I was in today's half marathon so the preparation definitely paid off," said Colonel Benson. "I plan to run another half marathon, likely in late September when the base hosts a full marathon."