March runners join record numbers at Air Force Marathon Published Sept. 27, 2010 By Linda Welz 452 AMW Public Affairs MARCH AIR RESERVE BASE, CALIF. -- Thirty-nine Team March members boarded a 729th Airlift Squadron C-17 Globemaster III Friday, Sept. 17, enroute to Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio, to participate in the 14th Annual U.S. Air Force Marathon. The event, which sold out three days prior at a pre-determined race cap of 12,000 runners, exceeded last year's record by more than 2,000 participants, which included those running in the full marathon, a wheeled division, a half-marathon and the 10K and 5K races. Leading the way for the 20 Team March runners in the half-marathon (13.1-miles) was team captain Lt. Col. Kristopher Kraiger, Chief, Operations Plans Branch, Headquarters Fourth Air Force, who ran a personal best half-marathon time and ranked seventh in his age group. Also running in the half marathon, his first, was Tech. Sgt. Julio Sandoval, 452nd Security Forces Squadron, who trained for four months by running four times a week. Sergeant Sandoval, whose ultimate goal is to run the Los Angeles Marathon, said the biggest obstacle while training was getting past the eight-mile mark. His beginning goal of a two hour, 20 minute finish was surpassed by his unexpected time of one hour, 55 minutes. "All the support from the people throughout the course and being around the other runners gave me that extra energy to just keep going," he said. Another Team March member who kept going was Staff Sgt. Alicia Salas, 752nd Medical Squadron, who ran the full marathon (26.2-miles). "I've always been a runner and always wanted to do a marathon," she said. "I've had tons of support at home. My seven-year-old son thinks mommy is really, really fit and in shape. Her goal of finishing in less than six hours had slipped through her fingers at mile 22, but she refused to give up, even though she said the pain in her knees was "brutal." Tech. Sgt. Sandoval wasn't there when Staff Sgt. Salas crossed the finish line because he and the other team members thought medics had taken her out of the race. But, he spoke with her before they left March and learned the longest run she had ever done was 16 miles. "It was amazing that she put it in her head that even though things didn't feel right, she just kept going," Tech. Sgt. Sandoval said. "To have that kind of heart to just keep going is amazing." In spite of medical personnel advising her to quit, Sergeant Salas, in the true spirit of a team player, earned the "Tail-end Charlie" trophy as the official last finisher of the full marathon. "I finished and I am very thankful," she said. This year's marathon hosted representatives from every state, six nations and 44 people who have attended every one of the 14 U.S.A.F. Marathons, which are sanctioned by the USA Track and Field Association and are qualifiers for the Boston Marathon. The winner of the men's full marathon was Capt. Brian Dumm, 27, U.S. Air Force, Colorado Springs, Colo., with a time of 2:27:49. The women's full marathon overall was Rebecca Murray, 25, Franklin, Tenn., with a time of 3:01:07. (All times are unofficial at the time of this release. For a complete listing of race results visit www.usafmarathon.com.) Bill Hancock, 88th Air Base Wing Public Affairs, Wright- Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio, contributed to this story. Top Team March finishers Marathon 1. Senior Airman Jonathan Voyles, 452 AMXS, 3:58:11 2. Tech. Sgt. Paul Bixler, 452 AMXS, 4:00:30 Half-marathon 1. Lt. Col. Kristopher Kraiger, 4 AF, 1:28:09 2. Col. Karl McGregor, 452 AMW, 1:44:56 10K 1. Tech. Sgt. Chad Pierce, 163 RW, 52:30 2. Capt. Linda Baltes, 752 MDS, 54:14