Published: August 14, 2006

Marathon looks for relay teams

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by James Baker

The 10th Annual U.S. Air Force Marathon on Sept. 16 offers the option of running on relay teams.

The four-member teams have each person running a specific leg of the marathon. The team's total elapsed time will determine the winner.

If a relay team has less than four members on race day, one or more runners must run consecutive legs. Runners must also choose to either run the relay or the marathon, but can't run both.

"You don't have to run as much in the relay, but you still get the same great benefits," said Rachel Claridy, U.S. Air Force Marathon coordinator. "It is truly a team effort."

Four stages are divided into intervals of five miles, seven miles, 7.5 miles and 6.7 miles to finish the race.

Categories of team competition for the relay include coed (with 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); ROTC; and military (all members must be on active-duty, Reserve or National Guard status in the United States or foreign military).

To date, 1,152 individuals have signed up for the full/individual 26.2 mile race, 1,016 for the half marathon, 312 for the 5k, 142 teams for the relay and five for the wheelchair race.

Registered participants are roughly double from what the numbers were last year, Ms. Claridy said.

Anyone interested in registering for the 2006 U.S. Air Force Marathon may sign up at www.usafmarathon.com. Sept. 8 is the deadline to register online. Registration may also be done at the Sports and Fitness Exposition Sept. 14 and 15 at the Ervin J. Nutter Center near Wright State University in Fairborn.

Source: U.S. Air Force

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