USAF Marathon offers four-person relay race
News Release,
Wright-Patterson Air Force Base
88th Air Base Wing Office of Public Affairs
Air Force Materiel Command
July 31, 2007
By Chris McGee
ASC Public Affairs
WRIGHT-PATTERSON AIR FORCE BASE, Ohio - Runners interested in participating in the 2007 U.S. Air Force Marathon here but not wanting to run the full 26.2-mile course have another option - the four-person relay.
Relay team members each run a specific leg of the marathon, with the team's total elapsed time determining the winners.
Leg distances include 5.1 miles for leg one, 8 miles for leg two, 6.5 miles for leg three and 6.6 miles for leg four.
According to Molly Louden, marathon director, the relay team race builds team spirit and makes the marathon more accessible to those not looking to run a full marathon.
"The relay team race fosters teamwork within a group, organization, company or family," Ms. Louden said. "Training for the relay is not as demanding as the marathon and half marathon."
Team captains decide which leg each team member runs. If a relay team has fewer than four members on race day, one or more runners must run consecutive legs.
Runners can run in either a relay or in the marathon but cannot participate in both.
Categories of team competition include coed (at least one team member from each sex), men's open, women's open, masters (all members must be at least 40 years old on race day), Reserve Officer Training Corps and active-duty military.
Registration for the relay race is running approximately 50 percent ahead of last year's pace, with 107 teams registered as of July 21, compared to 72 teams at the same date in 2006.
The number of relay teams will be limited to 300. Priority will be on a first-come, first-served basis.
Teams come from many different places to participate in the marathon, according to Louden.
"Teams are from every group of people and from all over the United States," said Louden. "There are military teams who compete and sometimes will create a competition among their teams."The U.S. Air Force Marathon will take place September 15. Runners wishing to register may do so online at www.usafmarathon.com.
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Contact: ASC Public Affairs, 937-255-2350.