US Soldiers to Run “Shadow” LA Marathon in Iraq
May 25th, 2009 - 8:06 pm ICT by GDUS soldiers in Iraq have decided to brave scorpions, venomous snakes and the oppressive heat to run in what they have dubbed the “shadow” LA marathon.
1st Lt. Jeremy Arnett of the 56th Stryker Brigade of the Army National Guard wrote a message to race director Nick Curl that read “I am aware that the Los Angeles Marathon will be held on Memorial Day of this year. Our plan here in Iraq is to have a Marathon for the troops on the same day as the L.A. Marathon is taking place. We would love to shadow your race on that day. We would schedule our Marathon at midnight, however, due to the heat in the day time … We would like to get the L.A. Marathon organization involved with our Marathon. Many troops deployed here, myself included, are missing out on many of the marathons back in the states this year and are eager to participate in a race while away from home. I thought that it would be great to be able to share an opportunity to not only run a marathon, a first for many, but also to be able to run one in Iraq, and with your organization’s help, be able to bring home a medal.”
LA Marathon President Russ Miller said that they agreed immediately because “It’s an honor to support our troops on Memorial Day and we are providing all of the support we can to make their race as memorable for them as for our runners here.”
Shipments of the LA Marathon race bibs and T-shirts, finisher medals, Clif Bars and Clif Shot electrolyte replacement cubes and a finish banner have been dispatched to the soldiers running the “shadow” LA Marathon in Iraq.
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Tags: army national guard, arnett, cubes, day time, electrolyte, finisher medals, la marathon, los angeles marathon, marathon race, marathons, memorial day, oppressive heat, race bibs, race director, runners, russ miller, scorpions, soldiers in iraq, stryker brigade, venomous snakes