Rain holds off for Iwo Jima 7K on Henderson Hall

After weeks of rain, runners on Joint Base Myer-Henderson Hall were blessed with a dry morning for the Iwo Jima 7K Race May 18.

Roughly 80 people showed up at the Cpl. Terry L. Smith Gymnasium on the Henderson Hall portion of the joint base shortly after sunrise for the race, which was part of Marine Corps Community Services' Semper Fit OohRah! Race Series. Participants included Marines, Soldiers, civilians and a handful of kids from the School-Aged Services program's Mustang Running Club.

The 4.35-mile course took runners on a scenic route through the joint base, then off-base, around the Marine Corps War Memorial in Arlington and back to the gym.

"It's a great course; you'll go off-base on this one and run around the Iwo Jima memorial," said Marine Corps Col. Andy Regan, commanding officer, Headquarters and Service Battalion, Headquarters Marine Corps, Henderson Hall. "We got lucky again -- perfect running weather. It seems like when MCCS puts on a race we get lucky with the weather."

Regan encouraged participants to spread the word about Henderson Hall's many race events, including the upcoming Chesty's 5K in June.

Eric Smith was the top male finisher, with a time of 27:42. Yuko Whitestone finished first in the female category, with a time of 32:02.

But it was 8-year-old Quinn Plummer who drew the biggest applause during the awards ceremony. Plummer, a second-grader in SAS's Mustang Running Club, finished in 6th place in the male category, with a time of 31:57.

After the race, H&S Battalion's Sgt. Maj. Robert Pullen thanked participants for another great event.

"As you circle the Iwo Jima Memorial, it's awe-inspiring," he said. "We remember the fellow Marines, Soldiers, Sailors -- all of our veterans."

And with Memorial Day only a few days away, Pullen asked the runners to be mindful of the sacrifices made by men and women in uniform.

"I ask that you take some time during Memorial Day to remember our fallen," he said. "Maybe cross the fence…into the cemetery and remember what we do. When you peel everything back, that's what we do: We fight battles and we win wars. That's why we're here. That's why this base is here."

Race results are below:

Male Finishers

Eric Smith 27:42

Scott Anderson 28:31

Kurt Rorvik 28:47

Female Finishers

Yuko Whitestone 32:02

Quincy Washa 33:51

Cheryl Lauer 38:37

For more information about upcoming Marine Corps Community Services Henderson Hall events, visit www.mccshh.com or the MCCSHH Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/mccsHH.