JOINT BASE LANGLEY-EUSTIS, Va. –
In a little more than a week, competitors from around the world will line up at the National Museum of the U.S. Air Force on Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio, to begin the 2013 Air Force Marathon.
For the past 17 years, the marathon has been held to honor the anniversary of the Air Force - with each year featuring a different aircraft. This year will highlight the C-130J Super Hercules.
The marathon, half marathon and 10K are all scheduled to begin Sept. 21, with all events open to the general public. Many competitors have begun the process of tapering, or reducing their training intensity in preparation for a major event.
"I just finished my last long run," said Tech. Sgt. Michael Woodburn, 633rd Aerospace Medicine Squadron bioenvironmental engineer and Air Force half-marathon runner. "It's just little runs from now until race day. As a personal goal, I'm hoping to come in under two hours and ten minutes."
Even with months of preparation, many racers were concerned the event would be cancelled due to the effects of sequestration. However, race officials assured competitors that the event would go ahead as planned.
"Because the marathon is funded by registration fees, sponsorships and vendors, the 2013 Air Force Marathon will occur during sequestration," according to the official Air Force marathon website. "There may be some impacts to some elements of the marathon, such as the flyovers, but the race will be held as scheduled."
With the event on track, many seasoned runners have begun reminiscing on past races, as well as their first Air Force marathon experiences.
"I never thought I'd even do the Air Force marathon," said Master Sgt. Anita Drake, 633rd Force Support Squadron readiness flight chief and first-time Air Force half-marathon competitor. "I'm excited - I have heard so many good things about the marathon. I can't wait to run it and finish."
Drake's excitement is shared by many racers, both civilian and military. With the event open to all branches of the military, Air Force major commands are gearing up to compete for the coveted MAJCOM Challenge Trophy. This award will be presented to the MAJCOM commander whose team finishes with the lowest combined time.
According to the official website, "The trophy will be awarded based on a point system that factors in both participation and performance in the full and half marathon events. This friendly challenge will serve as an incentive for each MAJCOM to encourage participation in the Air Force's own nationally-recognized fitness event."
For more information, visit the official Air Force Marathon website:
http://www.usafmarathon.com/