Posted: November 18, 2004

Athletics: GIs Plan a Daring "Honolulu Marathon" in Afghanistan

The 2nd Battalion, 5th Infantry Regiment "Bobcats" are planning something very daring for a unit living in the crosshairs of the Taliban.

They're determined to stage their own version of the Honolulu Marathon on Dec. 12 at their remote firebase in bleak, arid Tarin Kowt, capital of the central Afghanistan province of Uruzgan. And they plan to do it with the kind of high tech timing equipment used at the world's biggest races.

The Bobcats are coordinating with organizers of America's 3rd largest marathon in Honolulu to host about 300 runners on a course mapped out on Forward Operating Base Ripley's dusty, concertina wire-enclosed airstrip.

FOB Ripley is surrounded by mountains where Taliban leaders fled after the U.S. invasion. Some intelligence reports suggest Osama bin Laden may be hiding there.

Captain Ivan Hurlburt (Nebraska), battalion signal officer and race director, said that because his runners will not be carrying weapons he will have to coordinate for extra security on the gates.

He has reason to worry.

Hurlburt's unit recently lost two men when a bomb destroyed their Humvee outside the base. He was involved in a mission last month to find the killers.

Five other members of the 2-5 Infantry, part of the Hawaii-based 25th Infantry Division, have been wounded since the unit arrived there last July.

The idea for a race in harm's way was hatched by Hurlburt and endorsed by 25th Infantry Division Major General Eric Olsen. Hurlburt was 80th in the 2003 Honolulu Marathon and has run the past four Honolulu races.

He said 16 Bobcats are Honolulu Marathon veterans who just couldn't stand to be left out this year.

"We collectively want to keep the tradition alive and run the Honolulu Marathon in Afghanistan," he said.

Honolulu Marathon president Dr. Jim Barahal immediately reacted to the marathon plan when he was informed in September. He authorized early shipment of official finisher medals, certificates and t-shirts as well as banners and other paraphernalia.

The soldiers were told they could register as though they were competing on the Honolulu course and receive almost all of the same perks. But in recognition of the extraordinary circumstances, Barahal is waiving their registration fees which would have been over $100 apiece at this time of year.

In what could be a "first" for a combat zone race, the Afghanistan marathon will have the same state-of-the-art timing technology used in big races like Honolulu, Boston and New York City.

Mike Burns, president of ChampionChipUSA/Burns Computer Services of Ann Arbor, Mich., is shipping to Tarin Kowt microchips bearing the Honolulu Marathon logo as well as electronic timing mats.

The chips lace into a runner's shoes and interact with the mats when the runner steps on them. Timing information is relayed to a computer.

Every year Burns's crew sends live Honolulu Marathon updates for individual runners to the Honolulu Marathon website, www.honolulumarathon.org, and he plans to do the same for the soldiers running in Afghanistan. He also will make it possible for dependents of soldiers in the race to access updates via their cell phones.

The real Honolulu Marathon will start at 11am Eastern time, 7:30pm Afghanistan time, on Dec. 12. Afghanistan is 14 ˝ hours ahead of Hawaii. The official starting time at Tarin Kowt will be 2am Eastern time, 10:30am Afghanistan time on Dec. 12.

The Honolulu Marathon office is receiving registrations for the Honolulu Marathon in Afghanistan daily.

Runners signing up are not just from Tarin Kowt but also from bases in Kandahar and Bagram. Some are Afghan soldiers and others are Afghan civilians. Still others are - appropriately for an extension of the Honolulu Marathon - Japanese troops. Japanese annually make up the majority of the field in Honolulu.

"The week before the news of the marathon was released there were about 10 people in the whole camp running regularly," said 1st Lieutenant Ian Grimstad (New Hampshire), the fastest Bobcat runner in the field. Grimstad was 19th in the 2003 Honolulu Marathon in just over 3 hours.

"The week after posters started going up the number of runners at least quadrupled."

The soldiers will do just under six laps around the Tarin Kowt airstrip in 40-degree temperatures to complete a regulation 26.2 miles.

"The Army Corps of Engineers is working hard to manicure the course but with the frequent dust storms it's difficult," said Hurlburt.

He said some of the course is gravel but most of it is covered by a fine, talcum powder-like dust that gives it the look of a moonscape.

Hurlburt said the Bobcats are doing all they can to recreate the ambience of the real Honolulu Marathon. He said a carpenter is cutting off palm trees to plant along the course. The lone hill on the course has been designated "Diamond Head," symbolic of the highest point on the Honolulu course. Runners will have to scale it five times.

A 105-mm howitzer will fire an illumination round to start the race. There will be aid stations with water, Gatorade, fruit and medics. A photographer will be at each station.

Hawaii's fast-fingered ukulele recording artist Jake Shimabukuro, who recorded the Honolulu Marathon theme song, "Rainbow," on his latest CD, has sent autographed copies of his music to be played during the race. Hurlburt said the CDs will be awarded as prizes.

There will even be a dignitary to act as official starter for the race. Jon Mohammad, governor of Uruzgan Province, will fire the howitzer.

Hurlburt said troops at his firebase lack the comforts of bases in Kandahar and Bagram. No USO or VIP visits. No email availability for the average soldier. Only four phones for morale calls. No air conditioning in a land where summer temperatures can soar to 120 degrees. Showers are available only when a 100-gallon water tank is full.

Asked why he would want to run a marathon in such a dangerous and uncomfortable setting, Grimstad said, "I run because it is the essence of freedom."

Honolulu Marathon website: www.honolulumarathon.org.

Ryan Lamppa, Running USA Media Services Director
385 Oak View Lane
Santa Barbara, CA 93111

(805) 696-6232, fax (805) 967-5958
Ryan@RunningUSA.org
www.runningusa.org.