thedrifter
12-13-08, 06:38 AM
JINGLE BELL JOG 2008
By Ian Graham
Pentagram Staff Writer
More than 50 Marines, Sailors, Soldiers and civilians met at Henderson Hallís Smith Gym to celebrate the holiday season at the Marine Corps Headquartersí Jingle Bell Jog.
The mile-and-a-half fun course took runners, some dressed in holiday-themed costumes, from Henderson Hallís gate along the Arlington National Cemetery wall to Fort Myerís Old Post Chapel and back. After a few days of sub-freezing temperatures, the runners were met with humid 60-degree weather for the run.
Sgt. Thomas Gouard, a member of Marine Corps Headquarters Motor Transport platoon, was the first of the group to finish the run. Gourard participated in the Marine Corps Marathon in October, missing the qualifying mark for the Boston Marathon (3 hours, 10 minutes) by 10 minutes due to a cramp.
He joked that had the Jingle Bell Jog been a competitive race, it wouldnít have been fair for him to compete.
ìI was going to run at a slower pace, but once I got going, I took it kind of fast,î he said. ìBut this doesnít even count as a race or anything, itís just for fun.î
Battalion Commander Col. William K. Lietzau and Battalion Sgt. Maj. Ronald L. Green joined the runners along the route. After finishing the race, the two cheered on the other racers as they crossed the finish line.
ìI thought this was a fun run, but the sergeant major just took off,î Lietzau said, laughing. ìWe went pretty hard, and I donít even get to count it [as P.T.]. I definitely won the over-48 category.î
Green was impressed with the turnout and enthusiasm of the run participants.
ìIíve been here about six months, and the response gets better and better with each event,î he said. ìI really have to say thanks to [Marine Corps Community Services] and Semper Fit for putting this together, and thank everyone who came out.î
After the run, the participants gathered in the Smith Gym for breakfast and games. Green and members of MCCS judged the costumed runners, offering gas cards to the top three costumes. Maggie Youn, a sales associate for MCCS, won for her snowman outfit, which she ran in. At 70 years old, she was the oldest participant in the run.
ìIím always amazed by the costumes,î Lietzau said. ìThe snow woman (Youn) really went above and beyond for her costume.î
The youngest participants, Genevieve and Sterling Roberson, tied for second place. Genevieve was dressed as a dinosaur, Sterling as a pirate. Senior Chief Yeoman Colleen Martelle, from the Office of the Chief of Naval Operations, came in third place for her Christmas Spirit costume.
A team of Marines from Henderson Hallís Traffic Management Office won a gift unwrapping relay in which each team member had to peel away a layer of wrapping paper while wearing oven mitts. Staff Sgt. Jesus Perez, Sgt. Tammy Crawford, Lance Cpls. Andrew Schertzer, Kevin Hodge, Rollanz Edwards and Sgt. Brian Braxton each won gift cards for their show of gift-opening prowess.
The Battalion Supply team, made up of Sgt. Scott Powell, Sgt. Michael Hetrick, Capt. Ricco Espinoza, Sgt. Thomas Gourard from MCHQ Battalion Motor Transport and Chris Allen, showed superior costume-hunting and building in a Santa Claus outfit scavenger hunt.
Cmdr. Cesar Odvina of the Office of the Chief of Naval Operations won a Nintendo Wii for correctly guessing the number of ornaments on the Christmas tree on display in the gym.
Lietzau said that overall he was very happy with the event.
ìItís designed to let people get out and blow off some steam, and thatís what it did,î he said. ìIt seemed like the Marines had a lot of fun and thatís what matters
Ellie
By Ian Graham
Pentagram Staff Writer
More than 50 Marines, Sailors, Soldiers and civilians met at Henderson Hallís Smith Gym to celebrate the holiday season at the Marine Corps Headquartersí Jingle Bell Jog.
The mile-and-a-half fun course took runners, some dressed in holiday-themed costumes, from Henderson Hallís gate along the Arlington National Cemetery wall to Fort Myerís Old Post Chapel and back. After a few days of sub-freezing temperatures, the runners were met with humid 60-degree weather for the run.
Sgt. Thomas Gouard, a member of Marine Corps Headquarters Motor Transport platoon, was the first of the group to finish the run. Gourard participated in the Marine Corps Marathon in October, missing the qualifying mark for the Boston Marathon (3 hours, 10 minutes) by 10 minutes due to a cramp.
He joked that had the Jingle Bell Jog been a competitive race, it wouldnít have been fair for him to compete.
ìI was going to run at a slower pace, but once I got going, I took it kind of fast,î he said. ìBut this doesnít even count as a race or anything, itís just for fun.î
Battalion Commander Col. William K. Lietzau and Battalion Sgt. Maj. Ronald L. Green joined the runners along the route. After finishing the race, the two cheered on the other racers as they crossed the finish line.
ìI thought this was a fun run, but the sergeant major just took off,î Lietzau said, laughing. ìWe went pretty hard, and I donít even get to count it [as P.T.]. I definitely won the over-48 category.î
Green was impressed with the turnout and enthusiasm of the run participants.
ìIíve been here about six months, and the response gets better and better with each event,î he said. ìI really have to say thanks to [Marine Corps Community Services] and Semper Fit for putting this together, and thank everyone who came out.î
After the run, the participants gathered in the Smith Gym for breakfast and games. Green and members of MCCS judged the costumed runners, offering gas cards to the top three costumes. Maggie Youn, a sales associate for MCCS, won for her snowman outfit, which she ran in. At 70 years old, she was the oldest participant in the run.
ìIím always amazed by the costumes,î Lietzau said. ìThe snow woman (Youn) really went above and beyond for her costume.î
The youngest participants, Genevieve and Sterling Roberson, tied for second place. Genevieve was dressed as a dinosaur, Sterling as a pirate. Senior Chief Yeoman Colleen Martelle, from the Office of the Chief of Naval Operations, came in third place for her Christmas Spirit costume.
A team of Marines from Henderson Hallís Traffic Management Office won a gift unwrapping relay in which each team member had to peel away a layer of wrapping paper while wearing oven mitts. Staff Sgt. Jesus Perez, Sgt. Tammy Crawford, Lance Cpls. Andrew Schertzer, Kevin Hodge, Rollanz Edwards and Sgt. Brian Braxton each won gift cards for their show of gift-opening prowess.
The Battalion Supply team, made up of Sgt. Scott Powell, Sgt. Michael Hetrick, Capt. Ricco Espinoza, Sgt. Thomas Gourard from MCHQ Battalion Motor Transport and Chris Allen, showed superior costume-hunting and building in a Santa Claus outfit scavenger hunt.
Cmdr. Cesar Odvina of the Office of the Chief of Naval Operations won a Nintendo Wii for correctly guessing the number of ornaments on the Christmas tree on display in the gym.
Lietzau said that overall he was very happy with the event.
ìItís designed to let people get out and blow off some steam, and thatís what it did,î he said. ìIt seemed like the Marines had a lot of fun and thatís what matters
Ellie