Treadmill half-marathon raises cash for charity

  • Published
  • By Army Lt. Col. Susan H. Meisner
  • Office of Military Cooperation -- Afghanistan Public Affairs
KABUL, Afghanistan (AFPN) --  It was a beautiful, sunny day in Afghanistan. With just a little nip in the air, the morning was perfect for a half-marathon. But the weather did not matter; this 13-mile race was inside, on treadmills.

Runners here claim only the devout run outside, where they must brave dust storms that leave a gritty feeling in their mouths. If people weave in and out of the front and rear parking lots, they can cover almost a quarter of a mile in the tiny compound.

But this team race, the brainchild of Col. Linda Medler, was hatched on a treadmill.

“I do my best thinking on the treadmill,” said Colonel Medler, 97th Mission Support Group commander from Altus Air Force Base, Okla.

She thought such an event would be a fun way to raise money for charity, and so she and co-organizer Army Reserve Col. Oliver Custead seized the opportunity to take advantage of everyone's competitive spirit.

Six teams signed up: Air Force, Army, Marines, contractors, British and coalition.

Some teams had more trouble than others on race day. The Marine team had a few no-shows so they renamed it the Joint Team and accepted volunteers. Maj. Cindi Chiaravalloti, deployed from 16th Air Force at Aviano Air Base, Italy, joined the Joint Team.

“It was hard,” she said, “but I’m happy the Air Force could help out the Marines.”

The teams raised more than $4,000 in pledges, which will benefit local Afghan charities.

“(The Office of Military Cooperation -- Afghanistan) sponsors daycare centers at the Ministry of Defense and at the sewing factory, which employs war widows. We will also contribute to an orphanage for boys and to a girls’ school,” Colonel Medler said.

The $4,000 pledged doubled the pre-race goal of $2,000, she said.

“The pledges got family members back home involved,” said the colonel, whose family and friends sponsored the Air Force team.

The contractor team, whose employees at OMC-A serve as mentors to the Ministry of Defense staff, came in first with a time of 1 hour, 33 minutes and 44 seconds. The British team, at 1:34:06, came in second and was voted “most spirited.” The Air Force team raised the most pledges -- almost $2,000.