Runners get ready for adventure

New event, featuring three-person teams racing across the installation, should be a highlight of JBLM calendar

Bob Reinert/Northwest Guardian

Think “Amazing Race.”

If you have any familiarity with the network TV reality series that puts teams of contestants through their paces around the globe, you will understand the idea behind the latest addition to the annual Joint Base Lewis-McChord race calendar.

The Oct. 16 “Adventure Race” promises to be one of the highlights of the 16-race 2010 JBLM schedule. It will require participants, competing in three-person teams, to run, pedal, paddle. climb and shoot their ways around a course of approximately 45 kilometers.

“It’s going to be a fun race,” said Dale Eichhorst, sports programmer with JBLM Sports, Fitness and Aquatics. “They have three hours to complete the race.”

According to Eichhorst, competitors will be required to stop at control points along the way and have cards signed by officials, much like in orienteering.

“They’re going to be all over (Lewis Main and North),” Eichhorst said. “They’ll get out to their control points, and that’s when they’ll be told what they have to do.”

Eichhorst didn’t want to give too much away, but he did say that racers will shoot at clay pigeons during one stop and paddle either a canoe, kayak or raft during another. And they will have to stick together or incur time penalties.

“It’s all three-person teams,” Eichhorst said. “And you have to stay within 50 yards of your team members.”

The Adventure Race replaces one of two “Extreme Mountain Bike Races” on the calendar, but two-wheeled transportation will be crucial to success in the new event, as well.

“A bike is required for this,” said Eichhorst, adding that competitors “are going to have certain equipment that they have to bring along.”

For the less adventurous, the JBLM calendar still offers plenty. It gets under way March 13 with the St. Patrick’s Day 5K & 10K Fun Runs, which start at Cowan Stadium.

“I’m looking at 250 runners,” said Eichhorst of the St. Patrick’s race. “It’ll be a pretty good turnout.”

Eichhorst said that “Down & Dirty Mud Runs” on May 15 and July 4 should also draw well as units end deployments.

“When the Soldiers come back,” said Eichhorst, “I think we’re going to have some good numbers in the races.”