CAMP HUMPHREYS, South Korea, Oct. 2, 2011 -- More than 300 runners from across the Korean peninsula took part in the second annual Army 10-miler Shadow Run, hosted here Oct. 2.
First Lieutenant Robert Anderson, of the 532nd Military Intelligence Battalion, won the nighttime race, designed to mirror the Army's annual run in Washington, D.C., in 1 hour, 3 minutes and 51 seconds. First Lieutenant Sarah Rainville took the women's crown, finishing in 1:16:44.
Anderson said he initially thought only about doing his best and having a good run. But when some entrants passed him early in the race, his focused changed.
"I was going to try and take it easy but then an adrenaline rush hit and I decided to pick it up," he said.
Anderson maintained a steady pace, running the second half in just two more minutes than he did the first five miles.
"I felt good the whole time," he said. "I felt like I had some left in the tank. I started training for it last year, so I've been upping my mileage."
The Camp Humphreys shadow run will be shown on a large screen during the Army 10-miler in Washington, D.C., on Oct. 9, and Anderson plans to be there to watch it and participate in his second 10-miler of the week.
"This was prep for that one," he said.
Former United States Army Garrison Humphreys Command Sgt. Maj. Jason Kim fired the opening gun at 9 p.m. locally to coincide with the actual time the run will start in Washington D.C. Led by Kim's replacement, Command Sgt. Maj. Spencer Gray, the runners started under the Super Gym walkway, then snaked their way around the airfield twice, ending up back at Super Gym.
"It's an absolutely great event," Gray said. "Soldiers work hard, so when you can do something like this to build esprit de corps, it's a positive thing. It's an opportunity for everyone to have a good time."
The crisp, cool October air helped keep the runners fresh, as did rehydration stations manned by volunteers along the route. The constant encouragement by fellow runners and cheering from the sidelines helped push the runners toward the finish.
"It's not too cold," Gray said. "It's nice running weather and you can always wear something to keep you warm. If it gets too hot, you can dress down."
Anderson agreed that the race featured ideal conditions. "It's great weather, no overheating," he said. "It's the best weather for running."
Anderson said he has three brothers in the Army who are also all enthusiastic runners, and there was another family connection of note. Specialist Charles Rodgers IV flew from Hawaii to run the race with his father, Charles Rodgers III, who manages Splish and Splash Water Park on Humphreys. The two finished with identical times of 1:32:40.
Besides ideal weather and enthusiastic observers, the runners were treated to replicas of Washington, D.C., monuments built by Jeffrey Hubbard of the USAG Humphreys Family, Morale Welfare and Recreation marketing office. The replicas, made of Styrofoam and braced by wood supports, included the Vietnam Memorial, the Pentagon, the Washington Monument, the Lincoln and Jefferson memorials, and the capitol.
The project took about two weeks, according to Hubbard.
"It was to give everybody something extra to look at during the run and to do something different," Hubbard said. "We figured looking at a poster would be kind of boring. We wanted to give them incentive to go and see the next one. They'll be here next year. They're built to last."
Area III Sports Director Lonnie Herring credited volunteers with helping make the run a success.
"We had three water stations along the trail and at the start and finish points," he said. "We had BOSS bring in volunteers, folks standing on the road, and people handing out numbers and pace chips before the race."
The computerized chips, attached to the runners' shoes, started and stopped when someone crossed the start and finish lines, giving everyone an accurate 10-mile time.
For all the logistics involved in having hundreds of people run 10 miles, Herring said most of the work was done beforehand.
"The pre-registration is the most time-consuming," he said, also mentioning coordination with Military Police, road closures, medical considerations, and taxi and bus services being suspended. But all the work paid off in the end, Herring noted.
Prior to the run, entrants were addressed by USAG Humphreys Commander Col. Joseph P. Moore.
"We're here to have fun, and I hope your commanders told you that if you run this, there's no P.T. tomorrow. Ten miles is no small task," Moore said. "I've run this loop a lot at night. There's plenty of light out there. The terrain is real friendly. There are no big hills, just a lot of open room to run."
The top three finishers in the men's 29 and under category were: Wyatt Reith (1:07:53); Samuel Smith (1:09:09) and Daniel Bates (1:09:35). Following Anderson in the men's 30-39 category were David Snow (1:12:41) and Nathan Stahl (1:18:02).
In the men's 40-49 category, the top three finishers were Brett Bassett (1:14:49), Dan Burnett (1:17:06) and Felix Lassus (1:18:57). Leading the way in the men's 50 and over category were Robert Nott (1:09:14), Mark Sullivan (1:09:57) and Kwon, Song-ki (1:19:23).
Following Rainville in the women's 29 and under category were Kyle Wilson (1:22:20) and Liela Moser (1:26:01). In the women's 30 and over category, top finishers were Sarah Stahl (1:20:45), Adam Leinen (1:27:52), and Jamila Moody (1:34:11). Taking the women's over 40 crown was Kim, Hui-ok (1:37:06). In the women's over 50 category, Barbara Garner (1:37:31) took first, followed by Susan Jentoft (1:43:23).
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