ARPC athletes run AF Marathon

  • Published
  • By MSgt. Timm Huffman
  • HQ RIO Public Affairs
BUCKLEY AIR FORCE BASE, Colorado --  The morning of Sept. 20 dawned cool and clear. A pink band graced the horizon. Thousands of runners milled around the starting corral of the 18th annual United States Air Force Marathon. Among the 26.2-mile hopefuls were four Air Reserve Personnel Center runners.

The marathon, held each year at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Dayton, Ohio, is actually four races in one - marathon, half-marathon (13.1 miles), 10K (6.2 miles) and a 5K (3.1 miles).

Lt. Col. Belinda Petersen, Director of Public Affairs, Chief Master Sgt. James D. Kirkley, superintendent of systems integration, and Staff Sgt. Luke Mostoller, Headquarters Individual Reservist Readiness and Integration Organization finance office, toed the starting line for the 26.2 mile course, while Maj. Nicole Pfirrmann, assignment facilitator, ran the half-marathon.

Petersen, who ran the race with her father, chalked up her first Air Force Marathon finish while ticking off her 24th overall marathon. A member of the Marathon Maniacs (she had to run two marathons in 16 days to join), she said nine years ago she could barely run around the block. She started running to help her dog get back in shape and worked up to a mile and a half before her husband signed her up for a squadron 5K run.

"Do you know how far that is?" she exclaimed to him.

She ran it anyway, finished 2nd and was hooked on running. She started signing up for 5Ks and 10Ks left and right, finally signing up for her first 26.2 mile race in Mountain Home, Arkansas, with her father. Despite living in separate states, they trained together by following the same training plan and calling each other after their long runs.

"If it weren't for him, I don't think I'd have kept up with my training," said the public affairs officer.

The marathon was supposed to be a one and done deal, but after finishing slower than she wanted, Petersen signed up for a second marathon. After that, there was no turning back.

For Kirkley and Mostoller, the 2014 Air Force Marathon was a return trip to the premiere event. Kirkley only started his running career in 2011, but has already completed 35 half marathons, nine marathons and has five more marathons scheduled in 2014.

"My goal is to catch Col. Petersen by the end of the year," he said half-jokingly.

Kirkley began running after a high-score failure for not completing enough sit-ups during a fitness test. This got him fired up and focused on fitness. He signed up for a half marathon, the San Antonio Rock and Roll, that year.

"It hurt," he said of completing his first 13.1 mile race.

He was also hooked and was signing up for races left and right; he even did two in one day. However, the distance quickly lost its challenge and the next logical step was the marathon. He signed up for the 2012 Air Force Marathon.

Mostoller, who's running chops include a stint on the Army National Guard's marathon team and a 2 hour, 44 minute, 15 second, 26.2 mile personal best, lined up for his second time at the start of the Air Force Marathon, surrounded by current and past military aircraft - Wright-Patterson AFB is the home of the National Museum of the U.S. Air Force.

The former Guardsman started running as a teenager, when he competed on his high school track and cross country teams and even set records in his home state of Nevada. He ran throughout his collegiate career, which he finished up at Northern Arizona University. After college, he joined the Arizona National Guard running team and competed in a variety of distances, including a 203-mile relay race. His first time running the Air Force Marathon was in 2003 and it would be over a decade before he would return.

Pfirrmann also began her running career on her high school cross country team. She continued  running while studying at Creighton University, Omaha, Nebraska. The major, who takes her running in stride, finds it to be a great way to relax and meet people from all walks of life. With three marathons, seven half marathons and a 50-mile ultra-marathon under her belt, she's met plenty of other runners.

As the ARPC Air Force Marathon runners attested, successfully training to run 26.2 miles is no easy task. In fact, by the time they lined up at the starting line, most of the work was already done. To prepare, most runners train for three to four months, gradually adding distance and time each week and, by race-day, will have racked up hundreds of miles and hours of running. While everyone follows a slightly different training method, most plans call for a variety of mid-week runs, combined with a once-a-week long run of 13 miles to 30 miles (depending on the plan and a runners point in their progression).

According to Kirkley, a successful marathon bid isn't just about putting in the miles. He said diet, nutrition, proper rest and cross training are also important factors.

"It takes a lot of commitment," he said. "If not, you get injured. There's no quick fix."

Petersen reiterated his sentiment and added that it's important to plan for injuries, especially those that can develop from overuse.

"You can't always go fast. You have to go slow to prepare the body for the long amount of time you spend on your feet during a marathon," said the 50-mile-per-week runner.

She also added that marathon running is not just about miles, but also about hydration, fuel and rest.

Pfirrmann is more laid back in her approach to training, preferring to mix things up and have fun. Her Air Force Marathon training consisted of running when she could, swimming, biking and playing soccer on the side. She sometimes trained with other runners, but commented that, as a single mom, it can be difficult to make schedules line up. However, her nine-year-old son also enjoys the sport and they sometimes run together.

After months of preparation, filling out permissive leave paperwork and flying to Wright-Patterson AFB, the runners were ready to go. At the starting line, military and civilian runners alike paused in silence as that National Anthem began to play. As the final seconds before the race passed, pre-race jitters reached their peak. Finally, with a crack, the starting gun sounded, releasing the energy of 15,000 runners to surge across the line.

The inaugural Air Force Marathon took place on Sept. 20, 1997, celebrating the 50th anniversary of the Air Force. The race takes place on the third Saturday in September. Each year, the event organizers choose an aircraft to highlight, in order to commemorate the history of the Air Force. The F-35 was selected for this year and an image of the modern fighter jet graced the front of the finisher's medals.

As the runners progressed along the course, they received a tour of the large base, as well as some of downtown Fairborn, Ohio. While the course is not lined with as many spectators as the Boston or New York Marathons, the aid stations, where runners could refuel and rehydrate, were numerous and staffed by different military units. One of these units even dressed as aliens as they served water, sport drink and energy gels - an overly-sweet, slightly-thick, syrupy concoction served up in foil wrappers, which runners use to keep themselves fueled during runs (they're as bad as they sound).

An hour after three ARPC marathoners began, Pfirrmann and the half marathon runners were lined up for their assault on the base. She described the start as energetic and settled in to her pace to have fun and enjoy her time in Ohio. In addition to her race, she also ran the Air Force 5K the previous night with her son, who ran the whole distance without complaint.

As Petersen trod the course for the first time, she was surprised at the number of spectators who were present on base, but said there were definitely more in Fairborn. She occupied her mind by reading some of the signs they held up, including one that said "You're only 26.2 percent crazy." She also enjoyed high-fiving the kids who stuck their hands out into the course along the streets of town and reveling in the energy at the aid stations. Despite the fun she was having on the course, the final miles had cramps creeping into her legs. She didn't dare stop running because if her muscles seized up she might not be able to resume running.

"The last few miles are always hard and seem to take longer than any of the others," she said.

Kirkley felt like he could run forever until he hit the wall around mile 23. He said he fell apart piece-by-piece over the last three miles of the race. First his quads began to shake and his left arm tightened up. Once he started compensating for these issues, the rest of his body followed.

Mostoller faced similar issues around mile 21, where there is some elevation gain as the course goes over a bridge. Shortly after crossing, he began having severe cramping in his calves. A brief trip to the side to stretch out his muscles had him on back on his way.

All the runners were committed to finishing and plugged through to what Kirkley calls "the best finish line ever."

"You turn that corner with only .2 miles to go and the air planes are there, the crowd is going crazy on both sides, you have to run," he said. "The biggest part, though, is having the Generals and Colonels at the end handing out medals," he added.

With so much time and effort invested in a marathon, the finish line can be an emotional place for many runners. Pride, elation, disappointment or simply feeling overwhelmed and exhausted amongst the crush of runners and spectators, cause most to run a gamut of emotions.

"It doesn't matter how many times you cross the finish line, it's just as emotional as the first time," said Petersen.

Following their finishes, the runners trudged the two miles or so to their cars for the trip to the airport and home. As the days pass and muscles recover, the ARPC athletes are already lacing up their shoes and eyeballing their next races. Petersen said that once you experience the benefits of marathon running, it's hard to stop.

"It's addicting," she added.

Results

Kirkley knocked 45 minutes off his previous Air Force Marathon, finishing in 4 hours, 29 minutes, 47 seconds. Mostoller also had a strong showing and finished in 3 hours, 14 minutes, 22 seconds - 38 seconds faster than his goal time of 3 hours, 15 minutes. Petersen finished under her goal time as well, running 4 hours, 59 minutes, 30 seconds. She said her dad finished several minutes in front of her. Pfirrmann ran the half marathon in 2 hours, 25 minutes, 54 seconds.