SCHRIEVER AIR FORCE BASE, Colo. -- During his time as an active duty member of Schriever Air Force Base, Mike Wasson set the course record for the annual Half Marathon.
While he didn’t break the record this year, Wasson, now retired, did take home top honors at the 11th annual Schriever Air Force Base Half Marathon here Friday with a time of 1:30:59.
“I got a nice rhythm going at the 3-mile mark,” Wasson said. “We started to go downhill and I wanted to see if I could reel in the leaders.”
Wasson began the race in the middle of the pack because he was “easing my way into it.” He said he caught the leaders at the 8-mile mark, then pulled away as he finished nearly 10 minutes in front of Christopher Anderson (1:40:07), 50th Civil Engineer Squadron, and Shawn Brennan (1:40:08), Space and Missile Systems Center.
“I was feeling good,” Wasson said. “I started running (7-minute miles).”
Christine Pasun, 50th Operations Support Squadron, was even more dominant on the female side as her 2:16:40 time was almost 20 minutes in front of Sabrina Garcia (2:35:50), 4th Space Operations Squadron.
“This is only the second half (marathon) I’ve ever done,” Pasun said.
This is Pasun’s second victory in a monthly fitness center event this year as she also took top female honors at the annual Triathlon in August.
“The triathlon was more fun, but I’m less tired today” she laughed. “I could actually go for a dip in the pool right now.”
Unlike last year’s event, which was contested under a steady drizzle in windy conditions, the 23 participants in this year’s event were running with little wind, under a nearly cloudless sky.
“The weather’s perfect,” Pasun said. “It’s a nice day to go running.”
“This is great weather,” Wasson concurred.
The annual half marathon is one of the fitness center’s monthly fitness events. The next event is the annual Turkey Trot, scheduled for Nov. 9.
For more information about fitness center events, call 567-6628.
11th annual Half Marathon results:
Male
Mike Wasson, retired 1:30:59
Christopher Anderson, 50 CES 1:40:07
Shawn Brennan, SMC 1:40:08
Jesse Morehouse, Army 1:41:08
Nicholas Ruiz, 2nd Space Operations Squadron 1:41:32
Female
Christine Pasun, 50 OSS 2:16:40
Sabrina Garcia, 4 SOPS 2:35:50
Mary Wilson, 26th Space Aggressors Squadron 2:43:25
Jennifer Gilbert, 50 OSS 3:15:40