MARINE CORPS BASE QUANTICO, Va. -- Of the 2,500 Run Amuck/mini-Run Amuck competitors, 30 Marines and sailors took it a step further and competed in the Warrior Challenge, which launched before the first Run Amuck wave June 14, 2014.
Ten teams of three service members each competed in the new challenge, which brought a little friendly competition to an otherwise untimed Marine Corps Marathon Series Event. Two teams were from the Naval Health Clinic Quantico, six teams were from Headquarters and Service Battalion and the remaining two were from Security Battalion.
“It’s a great opportunity to represent what Marines are all about: getting dirty and having fun,” said Sgt. Jarvis White, a member of the Service Company, H&S Bn., team.
Capt. Wolf Powell, a member of the Combat Development Company, H&S Bn, team, agreed.
“I just got here and wanted to set the example…and motivate (my Marines),” he said.
To identify the winners, MCM staff added up the total time of all teammates, using a Cross Country scoring method. The winners were a Security Battalion team in first place, Headquarters Company, H&S Bn., in second place and Service Co., H&S Bn., in third. Cpl. Daniel Kim, with the HQCo. Team, came in first overall.
This is the first time there has been a Warrior Challenge as part of Run Amuck, a race that takes an average of 17-18 minutes per mile to complete.
The MCM prides itself on change, said Rick Nealis, director, MCM. Some look at it as scary or bad, but we look at it as spice and variety, he added.
Run Amuck is the only untimed event that the MCM hosts, but they are looking at possibly opening a timed event to the pubic next year, said Nealis. They will continue to have the untimed portion for those who don’t want to be scored, he added.
This year’s Run Amuck had fewer people than those in the past, but Nealis attributes that to the other two extreme mud events that also happened Saturday: ROC Race in Washington, D.C., and Tough Mudder in Doswell.
The low numbers didn’t worry him.
“People are outdoing things, living a healthy lifestyle,” he said. “Which is part of the MCM mission.”
Some things were working for Run Amuck this year, especially the rain the week prior.
“The water levels are higher this year, the last mud hole is in a much better spot, there is more natural mud,” said Nealis. “We cancelled all fire support (for wetting the course) for the first time in 7 or 8 years,” he added.
Run Amuck is an annual mud and obstacle event for people ages 8 and up. There are two courses: Run Amuck, which is four miles long, and Mini Run Amuck, which is two miles long.
The next MCM Series Event is the Quantico Triathlon on Aug. 24. It includes a 400-yard swim, a nine-mile bike race and ends with a 5K run. To register, visit www.marinemarathon.com.
Correspondent: Rebekka.heite@usmc.mil