JOINT BASE SAN ANTONIO-RANDOLPH, Texas –
Hundreds of runners are expected to turn out April 24 for
the third annual Joint Base San Antonio Half Marathon, which begins at 7:30
a.m. at JBSA-Randolph.
The course for the 13.1 mile race will start on Harmon Drive
near the main gate and take runners by the Taj, around Perimeter Road, through
the housing area and end at Air Heritage Park.
Marlin Richardson, JBSA-Randolph Rambler Fitness Center
chief of fitness and sports, said JBSA-Randolph provides a historic setting for
the runners participating in the half marathon.
“The atmosphere is going to capture you,” Richardson said.
“You get to run through a very historical route and base.”
JBSA-Randolph has hosted the last two half marathons, with
390 runners competing in last year’s race.
Water stations will be placed every two miles on the race
course and first aid stations will be located at the start and finish lines.
Both the water and first aid stations will be manned by volunteers from the
JBSA-Randolph Company Grade Officers Council, who will also help with traffic
control.
Officers from the 902nd Security Forces Squadron will set up
road closures and help maintain traffic flow around JBSA-Randolph during the
race.
Curtis Sparrow, Air Force Personnel Operations Agency
computer system administrator at JBSA-Randolph, is training for the event.
Sparrow said he is looking forward to running on the race course he trains on.
He runs six days a week on Perimeter Road, averaging more than 160 miles a
month.
“I love this course because it’s flat,” Sparrow said. “It
makes it a lot easier to complete.”
Sparrow, who is 62 years old, ran his first marathon 15
years ago at the age of 47. He has participated in 21 marathons and ran the
first two JBSA half marathons, finishing as the top male runner in his age
group each time.
Sparrow said two individuals he met in the early 2000s –
John Calvaresi and Bill Hamm – inspired him to continue running. He went on
walks with both men, who were in their 80s, at JBSA-Randolph and walked with
them in 5K races. Calvaresi and Hamm had also run in marathons, with each participating
in at least 100 of them.
“They inspired me to do what I’m doing right now,” Sparrow
said. “They have inspired me to inspire other runners.”
Sparrow runs and works out with co-workers at JBSA-Randolph.
Any time he spots a runner, whether it’s during a race or on his daily run, who
needs to be encouraged to finish, he will run with them at their pace.
“I enjoy running,” Sparrow said. “I want other people to be
able to enjoy it like I do. For a lot of people to run with somebody else, or
walk with somebody else, it just makes it that much easier to do it.”
Sparrow said the ultimate reward he gets from running is
finishing the race.
“I’ve never worried about time,” Sparrow said. “My goal is
to complete whatever race I’m doing.”
Active-duty service members and Department of Defense ID
cardholders have until April 20 to register for the half marathon at
https://www.athleteguild.com/running/randolph-afb-tx/2016-3rd-annual-jbsa-half-marathon.
The registration fee is $25 per runner. The race is open to runners 12 years of
age and over.
Runners can pick up their registration packets April 23 at
the JBSA-Randolph Rambler Fitness Center, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., or on the day of
the race at the JBSA-Randolph main gate from 6-7:15 a.m.
Trophies will be awarded to the top male and female runners
in each of the six age group categories; 12 to 17, 18 to 29, 30 to 39, 40 to
49, 50 to 59 and 60 and over. Each runner will receive a commemorative T-shirt
and all runners who complete the race will earn a medal.
Parking for the event is free and will be available at Air
Heritage Park, Randolph-Brooks Federal Credit Union and the base exchange.
For more information on the JBSA Half Marathon, contact the
JBSA-Randolph Rambler Fitness Center at 652-7263.