Laughlin Airmen get fit during 'adventures'

  • Published
  • By Capt. Paula Kurtz
  • 47th Flying Training Wing Public Affairs
LAUGHLIN AIR FORCE BASE, Texas (AFPN) --  “Are you fit to fight?” That is the question Air Force officials are asking Airmen these days, and it is the catch phrase for the new fitness focus.

One squadron here upped the ante among its Airmen recently asking, “Are you fit to race?”

More than 100 Airmen from the 86th Flying Training Squadron took part in a unit-sponsored adventure race June 12. Twelve teams of eight racers competed in a 22-mile bike ride, a 6-mile run and a four-man rafting event.

“When they approached me with this idea, I said, ‘Are you crazy? Who’s going to do that?’” said Lt. Col. Jeff Kubiak, then 86th FTS commander. “But … this is the most awesome thing I’ve seen a squadron do.”

Maj. Rex Calvert, an 86th FTS instructor pilot, pulled together the squadron’s physical training leaders and drew from his wife’s experience as a race director to iron out the details.

“It was all about teamwork,” Major Calvert said. “Everyone was so enthusiastic, and we had no idea how much fun it would be.”

After plotting the course, coordinating with the safety office and participating in a test-run himself, his committee declared the course ready for action. Blessed with a cool, overcast day, cyclists started the race at 7 a.m. at the base exchange parking lot, setting off in four-person teams at one-minute intervals.

Switching out riders at preset locations, the teams raced for a marina where they would drop the bikes and begin the 6-mile run. At the end of the run, a four-person boat crew from each team then took up oars, launched their rafts and paddled for the finish line back at the marina.

Although they were the last team to start the race on the bikes, the command team overtook each of the other 11 teams and was the first to cross the finish line with a winning time of 2 hours, 32 minutes, 17 seconds.

Colonel Kubiak, who raced on the winning team, credited the win to a strong team and solid strategy.

“We had reviewed the map and knew our change points, and we had an A-team and a B-team that had different strengths,” he said. “The team aspect gave it a really interesting dynamic, because you’re only as fast as your slowest guy. We decided before we started that we’d all stay together to motivate and help each other.”

“We had some good athletes, and we were able to use our strengths and be flexible,” said Capt. Grey Marshall, team captain.