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175 Runners Compete in Honolulu Marathon in Iraq

By Spc. Daniel Bearl  

As runners in Hawaii were preparing for the Honolulu Marathon, nearly 200 deployed service members had already completed the run in Iraq.

across the starting line as the Honolulu Marathon begins near Tikrit, Iraq. Nearly 200 service members and civilians currently deployed to Iraq ran in the Marathon, many of whom were running to raise money for the families of their fallen comrades. (U.S. Army Photo by Spc. Daniel Bearl, 25th ID Combat Aviation Brigade Public Affairs.)

Spc. William Smallwood, an infantryman from 2nd Battalion, 35th Infantry Regiment, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 25th Infantry Division, was the top men's finisher at 2 hours, 53 minutes, 23 seconds, while Maj. Beth Hoffman, a signal officer with the 25th Infantry Division Headquarters and Headquarters Company, finished first in the women's category with 3:40:55.

Coming in second and third for the men were Staff Sgt. Brian Caldwell, of 57th Signal Battalion, with a time of 2:54:06, and Navy Lt. Noel Allen Sawatzky with a time of 3:06:29.

Coming in second and third for the women were Capt. Chevelle Malone, of 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 25th Infantry Division, with a time of 3:43:11, and Maj. Pamela Sue Ting, with the 25th Infantry Division Provost Marshall's Office with a time of 3:46:30.

Though training for a marathon while on deployment is difficult, both Hoffman and Smallwood expressed excitement for being able to run the race while in Iraq.

"How many people can say they ran a marathon in Iraq?" said Smallwood proudly after completing the race. Smallwood has run "a dozen or so" marathons, by his own count.

"Finding the time [to train] because of work and being busy is difficult," said Hoffman, who has now run three marathons. "It meant a lot to me that we were running for the Soldiers who have lost their lives over here."

The Honolulu Marathon in Iraq was organized by Task Force Diamondhead, which units based out of Wheeler Army Airfield, Hawaii. Many of the runners were also from units stationed in Hawaii.

Of the 175 entrants, over half were first-time marathon runners and 162 successfully completed the run and were awarded Honolulu Marathon finisher's leis and t-shirts. The finishers' times were sent back to Hawaii to be included in the Honolulu Marathon finishers' list.

Spc. William Smallwood, an infantryman with 2nd Battalion, 35th Infantry Regiment, 25th Infantry Division, approaches the finish line for the marathon. Smallwood finished first for the men with a time of 2 hours, 53 minutes, 23 seconds. (U.S. Army Photo by Spc. Daniel Bearl, 25th ID Combat Aviation Brigade Public Affairs.)

Temperatures were at a frigid 36 degrees Fahrenheit the morning of the race day as runners gathered at the marathon's start point.

The 25th Infantry Division Tropic Lightning Band provided music as the runners signed in for the race.

After the runners stretched and warmed up to a mix of Hawaiian-themed and motivational music, they formed up at the starting line to await the signal to begin. At 8 a.m. the clocks were started and the runners broke loose across the starting line.

Many of the runners were running for fallen service members and raising money for programs to support their surviving family members through the Tragedy Assistance Program for Survivors, or TAPS.

The fundraiser generated over $20,000 in donations.

A list of the runners and the fallen comrades they represented is available at the Web site http://www.taps.org/marathon/honolulu.aspx, along with links to make donations to the program.

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