Posted: June 13, 2007

Athletics: Army celebrates its 232nd Birthday with 6th Annual Road Race and First Ever Nordic Pole Walking Championships

(FORT MCPHERSON, GA.) - The United States Army will kick off its 232nd birthday celebration with a 5K and 10K race and First ever 5K Nordic Pole Walking Championships 7:30 a.m. June 16. The first ever U.S. Nordic Pole World 5K Championships in conjunction with the 5K foot race will start at 7:30 a.m. at the East Point Library, near the East Point MARTA in downtown East Point and ends at Hedekin Field, Fort McPherson. The 10K race starts at 8 a.m. in College Park, at the Georgia International Convention Center on Highway 29 and ends at Hedekin Field, at Fort McPherson. The 10K (and 5K) courses for the "Hooah Race" are point-to-point, USA Track and Field certified and perfect as a tune-up race for this year's Peachtree Road Race or to establish a qualifying time for the 2007 Peachtree Road Race. This race is designed to be a world class event with a home town feel. International, runners from Ethiopia, Kenya, Russia and Romania such as, Claudia Coita (Record holder of the Country Music one-half Marathon, winner of the Rite Aid marathon and Jared Naymoboki (winner of the 2006 Army Ten Miler) are just a few elite athletes who will participate. The 5K Nordic pole walking event will start at East Point and end at Hedekin Field. Nordic Pole Walking, often described as cross-country skiing without the skis: RunnersWeb.com and snow, exercises the entire body encouraging an upright posture and balance without placing unnecessary stress on the muscles RunnersWeb.com. Participants use their arms to push off from their flexible poles, engaging the entire range of upper-body muscles :RunnersWeb.com. The poles relieve lower body strain and tone the shoulders, arms and back. The 5K Nordic Pole Walking Championship is sponsored by the worldwide foot care health and wellness company called Foot Solutions. Foot Solutions is one of the first companies to introduce this new form of exercise to the United States. "The activity is not only excellent for the elite athletes, it is great workout for everyone at all levels of fitness especially soldiers who put stress on their tendons, ligaments and muscles everyday while training in combat boots," said Lt. Col (Retired) Sue Bozgoz, Assistant Race Director. There will also be a 50 and 100 yard "Tot Trot Dash" for children prior to the awards ceremony held at Hedekin Field. All children 10 years old and under can race at no charge. All finishers of the "Tot Trot Dash" will be awarded a medal. For more information, you call Lt. Col. Willie Harris, (404) 464-8487, (404) 201-1770, Lt. Col. (Retired) Sue Bozgoz, (678) 472-3070 or Ms. Jill Sharpe, (954) 205-4252. Hooah Race information The early registration fee is $15. You may register in person until June 14 at the Fort McPherson Leisure Activities Center. There will be limited race day registration at the start point for $20 from 6 a.m. until 6:45 a.m. All race participants are required to pick up their race packet including numbers at the "Hooah Race" expo on June 15 from 10 a.m. - 8 p.m. at the Georgia International Convention Center College Park, Ga. All registered runners receive a T-Shirt. Parking for the 10K race will be available at the Georgia International Convention Center on the day of the race and parking for the 5K race will be available in downtown East Point by the library. There will be limited parking for Department of Defense registered vehicles at Fort McPherson on the day of the race. There will be a limited bus service from Fort McPherson to the start line. All 10K runners are encouraged to take the buses at the C! ollege Park MARTA Station to the starting points at International Convention Center between the hours of 5:45 a.m. and 11:30 a.m. The starting point for the 5K race will only be 1/10 mile from East Point MARTA station. There will be shuttle buses to transport runners back to the starting line after the races. For more information about the 6th Annual "Hooah Race" log onto www.armyhooahrace.army.mil or email your questions to usarcarmyhooah@us.army.mil. You may also contact Master Sgt. Alena Williams at (404) 464-8122 or Master Sgt. Nathan Allen at (404) 464-8173. Hooah Race categories are listed below: * Overall Male and Female, Male and Female Masters, and Male and Female Grand Masters finishers in each race and the top three Male and Female finishers in 14 age groups: 10 & under, 11-14, 15-19, 20-24, 25-29, 30-34, 35-39, 40-44, 45-49, 50-54, 55-59, 60-64, 65-69, 70 & over. * 10K categories: (1) Commander's Military Cup awarded to the 1st place military team - 5 persons, must include both genders; (2) 1st Place Civilian Team - 5 persons, must include both genders; and (3) Overall Male and Female military finisher * Additional categories (either race but 10K finisher takes precedence): (1) 1st , 2nd and 3rd Place M/W Nordic Pole Walking, (1) 1st Place Wounded Veteran Runner; (2) 1st Place Wounded Veteran Wheelchair; (3) 1st Place Civilian Wheelchair; (4) 1st place Mother/Child; (5) 1st place Father/Child; (6) 1st place Husband/Wife; (7) Most Patriotic Costume/Running Outfit; and (8)"Geritol Award" for both civilian and military entrants (Oldest finisher).