Marines’ fitness means endurance on battlefield 

Approximately 50 runners from Marine Corps installations around the world raced on a five-mile course for the All-Marine Cross Country championship, held here Jan. 8.

2nd Lt. William Prom, an artillery training officer with 5th Battalion, 11th Marine Regiment, 1st Marine Division, Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton, Calif., won first place with a time of 26:36.

Cpl. Sage Koch, an armorer with 3rd Battalion, 4th Marine Regiment, Air Ground Combat Center Twentynine Palms, Calif., finished in 27:02 and won second place. Staff Sgt. Tyler Hubbard, the staff non commissioned officer in charge with the fuels division, Marine Corps Base Hawaii, took third.

The five mile race took place on the steep hills and rugged terrain located behind the air station’s flight line.

“I run about 80 miles per week and have done so for the past few months,” said Prom. “This course is a great test of endurance.”

After the race, Col. Frank A. Richie, the commanding officer of Marine Corps Air Station Miramar, presented awards to the top performers.

“Fitness equates to endurance on the battlefield,” said Richie. “This is a phenomenal example of the level of fitness demonstrated by Marines.”

Top runners from Camp Pendleton; Marine Corps Air Station Miramar; Marine Corps Air Station Yuma, Ariz.; Marine Corps Recruit Depot, San Diego; Marine Air Ground Combat Center Twentynine Palms, Calif.; Marine Corps Base Quantico, Va.; Marine Corps Recruit Depot, Parris Island, S.C.; Headquarters Marine Corps, Henderson Hall, Arlington Va.; Marine Corps Base Hawaii; Marine Corps Base Okinawa, Japan; and Marine Corps Air Station Iwakuni, Japan, competed in the event.

“These are the best runners in the Marine Corps,” said Robert Stopp, the athletic director with Marine Corps Community Services here.

The runners train while balancing their busy schedules and travel around the world to compete in these events.

“We are very competitive, but it is difficult to balance deployments and work schedules,” said Col. Steven D. Peterson, the branch head with Headquarters Marine Corps Manpower and Reserve Affairs, Arlington, Va. “They are Marines first and we thank their commands for working with their schedules and allowing them to compete.”