Photo By Sgt. Ryan Scott | Pvt. Camron Callantine, a wheeled vehicle, carries the guidon of the 122nd Public...... read more read more
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TACOMA, Wash. – Soldiers from the Washington National Guard’s 96th Troop Command raced alongside hundreds of other runners in a charity race at Stadium High School’s eponymous Stadium Bowl in Tacoma, Aug. 5.
The participants traversed a grueling 23 flights of steep concrete stairs as they raced through the iconic stadium as part of Unleashed at Stadium Bowl 2012, a charity event supporting Kindred Souls Foundation.
“We had a pretty good demographic spread of soldiers, high schoolers, cops, firefighters and regular fitness enthusiasts run the stairs,” said Maj. Brian S. Nelson, chairman of the foundation’s board and deputy director of the Washington National Guard Joint Services Support Section at Camp Murray.
Participants either raced as a group of three, a wolf pack, or as an individual, a lone wolf.
Soldiers from B Company, 341st Military Intelligence Battalion, the 122nd Public Affairs Operations Center, and smaller groups and individual racers from across the 96th TC were on hand to race the stairs, while others volunteered as race marshals, posted throughout the course to ensure the safety of the racers.
“Soldiers know how to say cease fire on a range, it doesn’t matter what your rank is, so they’re very comfortable in stopping unsafe acts,” said Nelson, “ It really was a great reflection of the Guard that these were soldiers who were super professional, super helpful, polite and kind.”
“My wife and I founded Kindred Souls Foundation, an animal rescue, and I much prefer to race the stairs than have dinner auctions or golf tournaments,” said Nelson.
Formed in 2005, Kindred Souls Foundation is a local non-profit animal rescue, providing sanctuary and adoptive homes to abandoned, abused and neglected dogs and cats. More information can be found at their website: kindredsoulsfoundation.org.
By the end of the race, even the fastest runners admitted that the event is tough going.
“The race was great up until about the halfway point, but you just got to find a way to motivate yourself to keep going because you want to stop and walk, sit down or just collapse,” said Spc. Andrew Houlihan, an acting chemical noncommissioned officer with B Company, 341st Military Intelligence Battalion.
Houlihan earned the bronze medal in the 18-30-year-old male group, finishing the course in just 12 minutes, 29 seconds.
“We don’t talk about the times we took a vacation or went to a ballgame together,” said Nelson. “We talk about the times we suffered together.”
“That’s how you build a team,” he said. “You have to experience it to believe it.”
| Date Taken: | 08.05.2012 |
| Date Posted: | 08.13.2012 18:37 |
| Story ID: | 93144 |
| Location: | TACOMA, WASHINGTON, US |
| Web Views: | 96 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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