U.S. soldiers in Iraq to run in 'shadow' L.A. Marathon
Hundreds of soldiers in Iraq will sidestep scorpions and endure 100-degree heat tonight to take part in what has been dubbed the first “shadow” Los Angeles Marathon.
The event will take place at Camp Taji, about 20 miles north of Baghdad, and is scheduled to begin at 7 p.m. PDT, which is 5 a.m. Monday in Iraq. A fundraiser created to honor fallen soldiers, the Memorial Day event is supported by the Los Angeles Marathon, which sent T-shirts, race bibs, medals and a finish banner.
“I was looking around and I saw that the L.A. Marathon had changed its date to Memorial Day,” 1st Lt. Jeremy Arnett, an electronic warfare officer with the 56th Stryker Brigade, told reporters. “I e-mailed [race director] Nick Curl and he replied back to me stating that he would be more than happy to help us out and sponsor us in any way.”
About 400 soldiers will participate in either a full or half-marathon, although most will be first-timers. Because of the arid climate and expected temperatures in triple digits, Arnett said 20 water stations have been set up along the 13.1-mile, gravel-lined loop course.
“Also, the wildlife we have around here: We have scorpions and there’s quite a few different types of snakes, for which we don’t have anti-venom,” he said. “We have 14 medical personnel and four different ambulances standing by, one of which is going to follow the last runner. Also, all of our medical clinics here will be on standby and they will be prepared for us.”
There's no fee to participate, but donations will go to the 56th Stryker Brigade Fallen Soldiers Fund.
Two U.S. soldiers stationed in Afghanistan will also be running in an event supported by the Los Angeles Marathon.
-- Corina Knoll
