Six Airmen to represent McChord at AF marathon

  • Published
  • By Tyler Hemstreet
  • Staff writer
MCCHORD AIR FORCE BASE, Wash. --  The 62nd Airlift Wing will be well represented at the 11th annual Air Force Marathon Sept. 15 at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio. 

First Lt. Miguel Colon, 62nd Aerial Port Squadron; Senior Airman Christian Delgado, 62nd Logistics Readiness Squadron; Airman 1st Class Lori Fiorello, 62nd Comptroller Squadron; Staff. Sgt. Jeremy Baxter, 62nd Mission Support Squadron; Airman 1st Class Justin Curtis, 62nd Civil Engineering Squadron; and Master Sgt. Marty Goins, 62nd Aircraft Maintenance Squadron, have been training six days a week for the last couple months to get ready to compete in the race. 

After seeing an advertisement for the marathon in April, Sergeant Baxter, a veteran marathon runner, said he really wanted to see what it would be like to run in the Air Force Marathon. He also wanted to open up the invitation to run in the marathon to the entire base, he said. 

"The only requirement for those who wanted to be on the team is that they were dedicated to training, fundraising to help us get there and finishing the race," Sergeant Baxter said. 

While hectic individual schedules have prevented the team from all training together, groups of team members have been able to get together to workout. 

"It's been very motivational," Sergeant Baxter said. "Running together helps push each other." 

For Airman Delgado, who will make his marathon debut Sept. 15, the training has helped him learn new fitness routines and realize the importance of a specialized diet when it comes to training for a marathon, he said. 

After sitting out the intramural soccer season with a knee injury, he hopes the training regiment will help improve the health of his knee. He's also learning about marathon strategy. 

"I've been told that after you get tired, you try and focus on something in front of you," said Airman Delgado, who hasn't decided whether he wants to run the half or the full marathon. "You just have to keep setting the small goals until you get to the finish line." 

The team has worked just as hard on the fundraising side of things, Sergeant Baxter said. 

In addition to several on and off-base organizations donating money to the team, the Air Force Sergeants Association generated Prisoners of War/Missing in Action coins for the team to sell, with some of the proceeds going toward the trip. The team also plans on bagging groceries at the commissary, he said. 

"I've heard from a lot of people that it's one of the best marathons. Plus it's the 60th anniversary, so it's going to be a pretty big event," Sergeant Baxter said.