JOINT BASE MYER-HENDERSON HALL, Va. - As the Northern Virginia sky produced a hazy, full blue moon and a hint of daybreak, all lanes of the Major Douglas A. Zembiec Pool were occupied early and often during Henderson Hall's Semper Fit annual Half Iron Swim.
Swimmers paced themselves through 42 and a half laps in the six-lane Henderson Hall pool from 6 a.m. until noon Aug. 21. Twenty-seven swimmers participated in the endurance swim.
Some nailed impressive times which crushed the 30-minute mark.
The top time was 29 minutes and 30 seconds by Kevin Undeck, who swam in the fourth group, while the Navy's Jim Doran finished in 29:49 during the final group swim of the morning. Each swimmer had an hour to cover 1.2 miles, and all participants finished in under 60 minutes.
The 7:15 a.m. starters welcomed a few first timers plus Heidi Schlagheck who finished in 36:07, which was the fourth-best female time.
"This is my seventh time in a lap pool this year," the former Air Force member said before her swim. "I'll be happy if I come in under 45 [minutes]. I will be really happy if I come in under 40 [minutes]."
The Army's Susan Arnold made a 32:42 early morning time stand throughout the half iron swim and took home the best women's time.
"I did this last year, and it is about the same time I did last year," she said. "It is a great program here [at Henderson Hall]. The Semper Fit fitness program is awesome. I work at the Pentagon, so to have this program [and the Half Iron Swim] first thing in the morning is awesome."
Bridget Wilson claimed the female runner-up prize with a 33:26 time, and Margaret Nowicki claimed third place.
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