Photo By Staff Sgt. Michelle Halpin | Chief Petty Officer Melissa Tackitt, a native of Ithaca, Mich., gets a congratulatory...... read more read more
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By Army Sgt. Michelle Halpin
Combined Joint Task Force-Horn of Africa Public Affairs
CAMP LEMONIER, Djibouti -- A flyover by a pair of French Mirage fighter jets signified the start of the 25th annual Grand Bara Run, where 29 members of Combined Joint Task Force-Horn of Africa ran alongside over 3,000 other participants during the 15k (9.3 miles) race in Djibouti's Grand Bara Desert, Dec. 13.
The 13th French Foreign Legion-sponsored race took place about 34 miles southwest of Camp Lemonier and started at sunrise.
CJTF-HOA participants camped out near the starting line the night before to ensure a full night's rest before the race, which was attended by not only the Legionnaire hosts, but a myriad of other coalition troops and civilians with the same idea.
"It wasn't bad actually (camping). We stayed next to the Germans, who were definitely more prepared than we were with their discotheque (music)," said Marine 1st Lt. Josh Goldman, a native of Atlanta, Ga., and a member of 3rd Low Altitude Air Defense Battalion, out of Camp Pendleton, Calif.
While the personnel of CJTF-HOA were not able to enjoy such luxuries, they were excited to be there anyway.
"It was nice to get out and do something off base, to take part in something that's a unique experience in Djibouti. And there were definitely more people than we expected," Goldman said. "Everybody enjoyed being out in the desert, so overall I think it was great time."
Goldman was one of CJTF-HOA's top competitors, finishing 3rd among the CJTF-HOA men and 148th overall with a time of 1:2:57.827. Navy Lt. Alfonza Willis, deployed from National Naval Medical Center in Bethesda, Md., a native of Valdosta, Ga., finished first among his peers, placing 66th overall. Willis was the only CJTF-HOA member to finish the race in under an hour, crossing the finish line with an impressive 57:28.974.
Placing 2nd among the CJTF-HOA men was Marine Cpl. Jason Salo, a native of Durango, Colo., and a member of 3rd LAAD. Salo finished 142nd overall with a time of 1:2:51.986.
Two CJTF-HOA females ended up being part of the awards ceremony, where the commander of French Forces in Djibouti, French air force Brig. Gen. Phillippe Lefort presented medals to each of them. Vanessa Vander Zyl, a native of Burbank, Calif., a civilian contractor with General Dynamics in Chantilly, Va., deployed through the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency, placed 2nd overall among the race's females. Chief Petty Officer Melissa Tackitt, a native of Ithaca, Mich., and deployed from Explosive Ordnance Disposal Mobile Unit Eight, Detachment 20, out of Sigonella, Sicily, placed 5th overall among the female participants.
"It didn't matter what place I took. I just wanted to run my own race and that was it. Keep my own pace, get my legs up and just keep focusing on my own body and not worry about anybody else," said Tackitt.
Vander Zyl enjoyed the international spirit of the event, something that isn't entirely new for her.
"It was awesome, a great experience. When I was running I didn't know if the person next to me would even be able to speak English, but we were all headed towards the finish line, all going toward a common goal. It was good team spirit.
"When I was in Afghanistan supporting (Combined Joint Task Force-82), I did a half marathon and I ran with some of the coalition partners, some of the Canadians. It's really great for team building and showing that we support the troops in the same way, both in the field making products and running there with them," said Vander Zyl.
The length of the race was a challenge, even for more experienced runners like Lt. Cmdr. Stephen Roe.
"I enjoyed the race. I've done longer races before, but I've never done this distance. It was a question of how fast I could start out and still be able to finish. I think it was a good challenge for me," said Roe, a native of Nazareth, Penn., deployed to CJTF-HOA from the USS Bonhomme Richard out of Naval Base San Diego, Calif.
The overall winner of the 25th annual Grand Bara Run was Sgt. Hassan Aden Eleyeh, a member of the Djiboutian armed forces, finishing with a time of 47:32:080.
The mission of CJTF-HOA is to prevent conflict, promote regional stability, protect coalition interests and prevail against extremism.
| Date Taken: | 12.22.2007 |
| Date Posted: | 12.22.2007 06:12 |
| Story ID: | 14931 |
| Location: | CAMP LEMONNIER, DJ |
| Web Views: | 632 |
| Downloads: | 504 |
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