Courtesy Photo | Aces and Eights: Members of the combined 242nd CBCS, 256th IS, and 141st ARW....... read more read more
SPOKANE, Wash. - Once again approximately 50,000 participants gathered to take part in the annual rite of spring in the Inland Northwest, the BLOOMSDAY 12 kilometer road race.
This year marked the 38th running of this road race, which was the idea of 1976 US Olympic Marathon runner Don Kardong.
Bloomsday offers the community a chance to share the road with the very best runners and wheel chair athletes in the world. Culminating in the much anticipated finishers' T-shirt, which each year remains a secret until the first competitor crosses the finish line.
Bloomsday has several levels of competition. The elite world class runners, the second seed qualifiers, who earn their starting position by competing in one of several qualification races held throughout the year under a predetermined time, and then it is broken down by self-anticipated finish times, which are grouped and color-coded to assist the massive start in downtown Spokane.
Starting along with the second seed runners are the Corporate Cup divisions. This group competes not only against the clock but between other organizations of similar size. Businesses and organizations enter five-member teams. The Washington Air National Guard took on the challenge again this year and entered two teams.
The teams consisted of members from several squadrons.
The "Aces and Eights” team consisted of members from the 242nd Combat Communications Squadron, the 141st Air Refueling Wing, and the 256th Intelligence Squadron. Their members were Capt. Chuck Parsons, Capt. Rona Ritchie, Chief Master Sgt. Mike Lyon, 1st Sgt. Jason Kruenegel, and Master Sgt. Gene Lewan.
The 141st Air Refueling Wing team named ”Pass N’ Gas” consisted of members from throughout the 141st. They were Capt. Shannon Yellin, Command Chief Master Sgt. Wayne Deist, Senior Master Sgt. Monte Burnett, Master Sgt. Michael Wirth, and Master Sgt. Ed Pohl.
Each team began some form of training after last year’s race. A challenge was issued by Pass N’ Gas team captain Burnett to the 242nd. This became the impetus for the Aces and Eights. Winter months consisted of aerobic fitness and indoor track use at the Fairchild AFB Fitness Center and then outside running both on base and along the Centennial Trail in Spokane.
Weather on race day was forecast to be wet and windy, but as folks in the Northwest know you can’t always count on the forecast. This day was slightly breezy with a beautiful blue sky accentuated by billowing white clouds and a starting temperature of 45. By some standards, these were perfect conditions. Members of each team put up some impressive times. The top times were from Wirth (Pass N’ Gas) with 52:04, and Parsons (Aces and Eights) with 54:15. (Both times PR’s)
The Corporate Cup competition is scored by dividing each Corporate Cup runner’s time into the winning time for his or her age bracket in the Corporate Cup. For example, if the age bracket winner had a time of 50 minutes and your runner has a time of 60 minutes, your runner’s score would be 833 points (50/60 = .8333, or 833 points. The three highest scores on each team are added together to determine the team score. The highest team score wins.
The “Aces and Eights” finished scoring 2,562 points and second place in the division. “Pass N’ Gas” finished with 2,370 points and a seventh place finish in the division. Both teams will be back and plan on making a run at it again.
Col. Richard Kelly, Washington ANG, who last year ran with the 242nd, ran as a second seed competitor and posted a PR with 49:04. He used this as a training run for an upcoming marathon.
Bloomsday energizes the spirit of the citizens of Spokane and is a fantastic start to the summer. Having our National Guardsmen, and other members of Team Fairchild, participate, helps integrate our personnel into the fabric of the community and promotes fitness and camaraderie.
Everyone enjoyed the run, especially Ritchie, who now has two Bloomsdays under her belt and will run with other members of the Washington Air National Guard family in the Spokane Jingle Bell Run held in December to fight arthritis. Great job everyone!
| Date Taken: | 05.04.2014 |
| Date Posted: | 05.08.2014 18:35 |
| Story ID: | 129235 |
| Location: | SPOKANE, WASHINGTON, US |
| Web Views: | 302 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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