Blogs
Pre-WWII: History & Heritage of the J-3 Cub The Piper J-3 Cub is a symbol of the contributions of the Civil Air Patrol (CAP) to the United States Air Force. The J-3 was used by these CAP members to hunt enemy submarines, report damaged ships, tow aerial targets, and deliver integral war materials. The aircraft
Experimental: History & Heritage of the North American XB-70 Valkyrie The XB-70 Valkyrie started as a prototype for the B-70, a high-altitude, nuclear strike bomber. The Valkyrie had six engines that allowed the aircraft to fly at Mach 3+, which is three times the speed of sound. No such enemy could defend against a bomber
WWII: History & Heritage of the B-17F Flying Fortress The Boeing B-17F Flying Fortress was a versatile plane used first in WWII. This highflying, fast plane with a respectable range was fully equipped for war. The bomber was so beloved that it quickly became the 2nd most manufactured bomber in history. Europe took extra liking
Post-Vietnam Era: The History & Heritage of the F-117 Nighthawk The F-117 Nighthawk is one of the most unique and memorable aircraft to fly in the USAF. Designed as a twin-engine stealth attack aircraft, its design was based purely around evading radar signature and thus was the world’s first operational stealth aircraft. In 1989 Lockheed
Lung Cancer Warrior: Every Race is an Accomplishment Despite starting his running career at age 62, surviving lung cancer, and dealing with the challenge of 2020, Vince Fonner proves that it’s never too late to start and that each race truly is a significant accomplishment. Along with two friends, I completed the 2020 Air Force
Virtual Strides: Running Your Own Race I completed the virtual AF Half-Marathon on 6 September 2020 running 13.1 miles straight down the measured Montour Trail near the Pittsburgh Airport. I parked my car near mile-marker 21 and started at 0742 with two bottles of water in my hands and some Gu Gel to keep me
A Day in the Life: Race Director If you are reading this but have yet to read the other blogs in this series, I would encourage you to first learn what some of the other members of the Air Force Marathon team does first. Those blog posts can be found linked below. Administrator Assistant Director
Pre-WWII: The History & Heritage of the P-26A Peashooter The Peashooter marked both the beginning and end of numerous features in the evolution of fighter aircrafts (in the pre-AF years, fighters had a “P” designation or “pursuit”). It was the first all-metal monoplane and was much faster than older wood planes. However, it was the
The Green Program: Going for Gold In 2019, here at the Air Force Marathon, we launched the Green Program. Honestly, we’d love to have a better name for it, as that feels very generic and not sufficient to all that the program entails. This program is done in partnership with the Council for Responsible Sport.
Big Heart: Complete Stranger to Comrade First, I am not a marathon participant, but rather a volunteer. Second, the marathon allows me to take my love of bicycling and turn it into the high lite of my year. Being able to escort the wheel-chaired athletes in the completion of something I can’t fathom. We both
8 Years: Hooked on Running My husband used to volunteer for the Air Force Marathon because he worked for Civil Service. When he retired after 4 years in the Air Force and another 37 years on the base, he wanted to try the Half Marathon. I decided to run-walk with him. After 8 years of
Dayton Strong: A Passion for Running, Ohio, and AFM’s very own, Brandon Hough I love telling this story because I think of the world of USAF Race Director, Brandon Hough. I was born in Dayton, Ohio and at age 11, we all moved to Florida. I lived in Florida until I joined the Air Force
Just Breathe: Learning to Run and Never Stopping I started running competitively in 2010. I’d always admired runners but never imagined I’d be one. I started walking at the local track and would look longingly at runners but couldn’t breathe properly whenever I tried. “I’d always admired runners but never imagined I’d be one.” One
A Day in the Life: Assistant Race Director “A dream doesn’t become reality through magic; it takes sweat, determination and hard work.” – Colin Powell I first wrote this blog in a way which described the role of the Air Force Marathon Assistant Director (AD), but decided to scrap that and start over. I wanted