Just under 1,750 runners tackled the hills of Prince William Forest Park located just outside the main gate of Marine Corps Base Quantico during the Marine Corps 17.75K on April 12, 2014. Those who finished were given “Access Granted” passes that qualified them to sign up for the 39th Marine Corps Marathon on Oct. 26, 2014.

Steven Henry, from Odenton, Md., and a former member of the Army running team, crossed the finish line in first place with a time of 1 hour, 4 minutes and 24 seconds after the gunshot signaled the start of the race. Kelly Swain, an Arlington, Va., native, finished almost 10 minutes later in 1:14:02.

“That course was more challenging that I thought it would be,” said Swain. “There was a hill right at the 5-mile marker that I thought would be the end of me, but once I got toward the end of the race, I got my second wind.”

The hills would be one of the most prominent things the runners remembered about the race.

“These hills were crazy,” said Andy Canigiani, from Woodbridge, “I’ll just say that after that race, the ‘Access Granted’ pass is a great prize.”

The “Access Granted” passes allows the finishers of the 17.75K race to have register for the sold-out 39th Marine Corps Marathon.

The 17.75K race sold out in less than 10 minutes when registration opened in February.

“My wife, Angela, and I were on the phone with each other when registration opened,” said Nick Amico, from Tega Cay, S.C. “She got in and I didn’t. I came to support her and am glad she had a good race.”

Runners ages spanned almost eight decades with the youngest runner being 14 years old and the oldest 82.

Richard Ferry, an 82-year old Battle of Chosin Reservoir survivor, finished the race in 2:53:59. “Those were some serious hills out there,” said Ferry after he crossed the finish line. “Hopefully my next race won’t be as up and down that one.”

Ferry was featured in a story in last week’s edition of the Quantico Sentry under the headline, “Chosin Reservoir survivor to run the Marine Corps 17.75K” by Cpl. Samuel Ellis.

The 39th Marine Corps Marathon is scheduled for October 26, 2014. Registration is closed except for those who earned the “Access Granted” pass. Registration for those individuals ended Monday.