FORT DRUM, N.Y. -- Approximately 40 Soldiers gathered on a cold and breezy morning May 28 in front of Magrath Sport Complex to compete for a potential spot on the team that will represent Fort Drum in this year's Army Ten-Miler.
"Today we are going to qualify runners for the Army Ten-Miler," said Frank Romano, Fort Drum sports director. "Runners with the best time will select a team and train with them from now until October, when they will go to Washington, D.C., to represent Fort Drum."
"We will probably hold another qualifier-run in July to give our deployed Soldiers an opportunity to make the team," he said.
This year, the Army Ten-Miler will be held at 8 a.m. Oct. 12. The race, which draws crowds from all over the U.S., begins and ends at the Pentagon, and there is a time limit for runners.
During the Army Ten-Miler, runners are broken into "waves" based on their pace times, and all participants must maintain a 15 minute-mile pace. Slower participants will be turned around at the 14th Street Bridge and will not be allowed to complete the course.
Capt. Michelle Kelly, commander of Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 10th Sustainment Brigade, was the first female to complete the 10K, with a time of 39 minutes and 58 seconds.
"I still have a little work to do on my time," Kelly said. "It's a little bit off, but I'm training hard to get back into top shape."
This is Kelly's second time qualifying. She said she hopes to motivate other females to try out for the team.
"The field looks pretty good this year," Kelly said. "I think we had less than 10 females running today. So, we are going to have to get more females to make up the all-female and mixed team."
The male with the best race time was 1st Lt. Daniel Nix, a member of 6th Squadron, 6th Cavalry Regiment, 10th Combat Aviation Brigade, with a time of 33 minutes and 25 seconds.
First Lt. Brian Landry, platoon leader with 4th Battalion, 31st Infantry Regiment, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, who finished in fifth place with a time of 34 minutes and 56 seconds, has hopes of making the Fort Drum Army Ten-Miler team.
"This is my first time qualifying for the (Army Ten-Miler)," he said. "I ran a pretty good race, and I feel great. I hope to make the Fort Drum team this year."
Landry commented that he stays in shape by running with his platoon and in local races.
During the race, runners will wear a device called the Chrono Track. This device will track their run time with a timing chip that is attached to the back of the bib. Results of the race will be posted on the Army Ten-Miler website.
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