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Soldiers hold own Midnight Sun Run

Jun-20-2006 » Filed Under: 172nd SBCT

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Daily News-Miner

About 50 U.S. Army soldiers from Fort Wainwright weren't about to let the Iraqi heat or their deployment prevent them from participating in the Midnight Sun Run.

So members of the 4th Battalion, 11th Field Artillery with the 172 Stryker Brigade Combat Team held their own 10 kilometer event early Friday morning in northern Iraq where it is deployed for Operation Iraqi Freedom.

"Quite a bit different than the last couple times I have run it," said 1st Sgt. Antonio Boone in a press release. "There was no forest fire smoke, no costumes and no one cheering."

But there was a good time had by the soldiers in the artillery battalion, who wore official Midnight Sun Run bibs bearing the number 411 and received T-shirts donated and shipped by race organizers in Fairbanks.

Staff Sgt. Martinez Tovar and 1st Lt. Jacob Haverstick were the first finishers, crossing together in 46 minutes, 10 seconds. Sgt. Jeffery Smith was next in 46:52.

The event was held at 6 a.m. on Friday to avoid daytime temperatures that often exceed 110 degrees.

"Keeps getting easier every time I run it," said Sgt. Chad McFall, who helped push and pull a 2,300-pound howitzer along the 6.2-mile course at the last two Midnight Sun Runs in Fairbanks. "We made improvements the second year that made towing the howitzer easier. And this year there was no howitzer. It made running the race a snap."


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