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Malmstrom triathlete puts PT regime to the test in Baghdad's International Zone

By Airman 1st Class Emerald Ralston, 341st Space Wing Public Affairs Office / Published August 23, 2007

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MALMSTROM AIR FORCE BASE, Mont. -- From the shores of Santa Cruz, Calif., to the sands of the Iraqi desert, athletes competed side-by-metaphoric-side in a triathlon, helping eight servicemembers feel as if they were home again.

A Malmstrom Warrior deployed from the 341st Operations Support Squadron decided to put his Air Force physical training regime to the test by competing in a triathlon that was literally half-way around the world.

Capt. James Druell is part of the Coalition Air Force Transition Team in Iraq on two back-to-back six-month deployments. He, and seven others, participated in the Santa Cruz Sprint Triathlon Aug. 12 while in the International Zone, Baghdad, while the rest of the athletes competed in California.

Captain Druell, who has competed in roughly 50 triathlons since 1983, said he wanted to put on this triathlon overseas to build camaraderie and boost morale, as well as experience something familiar and have an opportunity to feel connected to home from so many miles away.

"It's always been important for him to do things like this," said Captain Druell's wife, Ronda. "He still makes time to compete in a couple events a year. However, since having children, sports have taken a backseat to parenting. Instead of playing baseball or softball, he now coaches both of our children's teams. This is the first time in the past five seasons he wasn't able to coach for them."

Although she says it has been hard on the family to have him gone, they understand the Global War on Terrorism is important and Captain Druell has always been one to pitch in and get it done.

"It's the sacrifice we have to make for the freedom we enjoy," Mrs. Druell said.
But their children are still influenced by the hard work and dedication of their father.
"Since my son read the article from the 'Santa Cruz Sentinel' [about Captain Druell's part in the triathlon], he's been working out and talked about competing in a sanctioned triathlon also," Mrs. Druell said. "Last year, Jim and the kids participated in the Malmstrom Triathlon in August. All three of them did the event together and had a wonderful time."

With this type of activity close to the hearts of all involved, Penni Bengston from Finish Line Productions, the stateside event sponsor, provided most of the equipment needed for the event. She said she felt compelled to help out with the overseas event because she too is a tri-athlete and her respect for the members of the armed forces serving in deployed area of responsibility was far too great to watch the opportunity to help out pass by.

"I am in awe every day when I wake up and think about all [the servicemembers] over in Iraq," Ms. Bengston said. "It's a difficult job and I'm sure it's hard to be away from your home and family in such a foreign and dangerous environment. My husband and I both have great admiration for our armed forces personnel and wanted to help out in any way possible, so for us there was no question about getting involved."

Before the race, Ms. Bengston shipped a box of race numbers, goggles, water bottles, swim caps and finisher's certificates. She recently shipped finisher's T-shirts, volunteer T-shirts, medals and the official race bib number so the participants had something to put up on their wall.

"I really hope this was as great an experience for [Captain Druell] and all the others as it was for us," Ms. Bengston said.

While there were many differences between the competitions in Santa Cruz and Baghdad, competitors still completed nearly the same race.

The Baghdad participants swam 497 meters in the U.S. Embassy Palace Pool, cycled 12 miles on stationary bicycles and ran a 5-kilometer route around the embassy grounds. Captain Druell said he enjoyed competing in the unique location.

"This will rank as one of the most memorable triathlons I've ever done," he said. "How many people can say they competed in a triathlon at one of Saddam's palaces, in a combat zone?"

A few differences did stand out to Captain Druell as far as comparing a stateside competition to the competition overseas - for example, not being able to train together due to location.

"With the exception of two competitors who flew in on UH-60s from Victory Base to the International Zone just to compete in the event, most of the participants didn't have the opportunity to train together because we mostly worked in different offices and locations within the International Zone," he said. "Since the conception of having this event sponsored, I've met quite a few people from the U.S. Department of State, coalition members, sister-service personnel and contractors assigned to the International Zone."

Also, due to logistics, only a limited number of people could actually compete, but Captain Druell said he was approached by many people about competing in future events.

"I've even had people contact me from different forward operating bases outside of the International Zone," he said. "Word is getting out and people want to do something different. This is becoming bigger than I ever imagined it would be."

Despite combat conditions, potential for alerts and attacks, and the triple digit heat, Captain Druell mentioned the dangers were comparable to the Santa Cruz competitors; noting most shark attacks happen within a 50-mile radius of the San Francisco Bay.
But the potential for danger, among other obstacles, did not stop Captain Druell from achieving what he had his mind set to.

"He probably saw [the triathlong] as a challenge and didn't take 'no' for an answer," Mrs. Druell said. "He told me about some of the stumbling blocks he had to overcome."
For example, there were issues ensuring proper medical personnel were on-site, so he got support from the local military hospital, the 28th Combat Surgical Hospital and he got a volunteer medical technician to be at the event.

In the same way the potential for shark attacks didn't stop tri-athletes in Santa Cruz, the dangers of the desert didn't stop Captain Druell or his competition overseas, whose overall finishing time was 1 hour, 23 minutes, 37 seconds.

As for the participants from Baghdad this year, Ms. Bengston invites them to come join the race in California next year.

"Maybe next year some of them will have rotated out of Iraq and be back home and can come to the event in Santa Cruz," she said. "It would be so great to get a chance to meet some of them - as a matter of fact, any of the Baghdad participants get to race free again next year - all they have to do is show up for the event!"

Captain Druell also said this type of event was definitely something he intends to do in the future.

"I've been contacted by at least 30 people who want to participate in an event like this and was also contacted by some other event sponsors. I'm working on the details for another triathlon for September. But Santa Cruz and [Ms. Bengston] will always have a special place because this was the first," he said. "This event was just something I wanted to do. I didn't expect to get as much support or publicity as it did."

From the ocean mist in Santa Cruz to the sprawling sands of Iraq, there was nothing metaphoric about the cooperation, dedication and ambition of a captain in the desert and a triathlon coordinator in California to make a handful of servicemembers feel closer to home and set the ball rolling for more opportunities like this in the future.

Santa Cruz Sprint Triathlon (Baghdad division results)
Other competitors were:
-- Lt. Cmdr. Michael Sumrall [Navy], 1:17:28;
-- Lt. Cmdr. Suzanne Lesko [Navy], 1:34:40;
-- Lt. Rhonda Luevano [Navy], 1:40:40;
-- Capt. Thomas McCaleb [Air Force], 1:07:46;
-- Chief Master Sgt. Albert McGowan [Air Force], 1:00:10;
-- Master Sgt. Steve Nichols [Air Force], 1:29:46; and
-- A member of the Singapore army (name withheld for security reasons), 1:18:51.

For more information on this triathlon and official race results, visit www.finishlineproduction.com.
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