Bolling members take 'Amazing Race' challenge

  • Published
  • By Airman 1st Class Susan Moreno
  • 11th Wing Public Affairs
BOLLING AIR FORCE BASE, D.C. (AFNS) --  Nearly 40 people from the National Capital Region competed in an obstacle course-style competition Dec. 4 at Bolling Air Force Base.

Events ranged from paintball to low-crawling, wheelchair racing, barrel-rolling and bicycling.

Competitors raced across a 5.5-mile area on Bolling AFB and Anacostia Naval Station and received clues at each station to lead them to their next challenge,l similar to the television show, "Amazing Race."

The race began at the Bolling AFB track and took competitors through a series of 11 obstacles.

Competing teams, sponsors and on-lookers gathered at noon on the Bolling AFB track with Janeka Jones, the joint-basing team lead and race coordinator.

She warned participants that the course would be very physically demanding, before Jess McGraw of the 11th Mission Support Squadron commander's support staff and physical training leader led the teams through warmups.

Team Purple finished first at 1 hour and 3 minutes. Teammates from the Defense Threat Reduction Agency included Erik Grant, Jeff Bacon, Dian Hall and Joseph Whitaker.

"It feels really good to win," Hall said. "We're a very competitive team."

Team Black, a mixed team of military and dependents, came in second place at 1 hour and 15 minutes. 

In third, at 1 hour and 16 minutes, was Team Green and White,members of the 11th Comptroller Squadron.

"Our team had a great time," said James Garris of the 11th CPTS. "This was a great team-building event. We just stuck together and motivated each other. We run six miles every Friday, so this was basically just another Friday PT for us."

Other participants spoke of their favorite part of the obstacle course and said the day was well worth the physical exertion.

"I liked the low-crawl because it was just a fun, messy obstacle," said Aaron Gray of the 11th Wing staff. "It kind of takes you back to your basic training days."

"We did something like this when I was in ROTC as a team-building exercise," Jones said. "I wanted to bring that kind of camaraderie to our members here at Bolling. This was a huge event and next time we'll encourage even more people to participate."

The event held Dec. 4 was originally planned for Nov. 13, but had to be postponed due to inclement weather.

"You can't be mad at mother nature," Jones said. "I'm glad everyone enjoyed themselves. The volunteers and sponsors were awesome, the squadrons gave 110 percent. We couldn't have done any of this without all of their help."