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Viking Challenge '09 breaks record as largest in event history

  • Published
  • By 1st Lt. Nicole Langley
  • 615th Contingency Response Wing Public Affairs
TRAVIS AIR FORCE BASE, Calif. --  With 321 participants competing on 36 teams, Saturday's Viking Challenge 2009, was the largest in event history and was another successful fundraiser for the Travis Fisher House.

Viking Challenge, the 12-hour relay event in which teams continuously moved -- running, jogging or walking -- took place at the base Fitness Center track from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. One member of each team completed a mile at a time before handing off the baton to the next team member.

Sponsored by the 615th Contingency Response Wing Phoenix Mobility Program, Air Mobility Command's sole internship program for company grade officers, Viking Challenge is an annual event, in which all funds raised go directly to the Travis Fisher House.

"With Airmen of all ranks -- both active duty and Reservists, civilians and members of the local community participating -- Viking Challenge was truly a team event," said Col. Joseph Zahn, 615th CRW vice commander and Phoenix Mobility Program manager. "It was incredible to see how everyone came together to raise funds for such a great cause."

The Travis Fisher House is a home away from home for military members of all branches receiving treatment from David Grant Medical Center.

"Knowing that the dollars we raise go directly to a house designed to keep our military community taken care of pays for the sweat involved in planning and executing this event many times over," said Maj. Joseph Wenckus, 571st Global Mobility Readiness Squadron director of operations and the 615th CRW's senior ranking Phoenix Mobility program member.

Although people have until today to turn in donations and pledges earned, the amount raised at the time of the relay's start was nearly $12,000.

"Travis Fisher House is operated totally through donations, and having so many people support the house through their participation in the Viking Challenge is amazing," explained Charlene Hall, Travis Fisher House manager. "The guests who stay at our house are always impressed by the generosity of Team Travis and the community."

This year, records were set in both numbers of participants as well as total mileage logged.

Throughout the 12-hour relay, participants completed a total of 2,671 miles, which is slightly more than the distance between Los Angeles, Calif., and Washington, D.C.

The 2008 defending champions, the 60th Logistics Readiness Squadron, took home top honors again this year, inching ahead of the second place team by just one mile. The team completed 103 miles and was followed closely by the 570th Global Mobility Squadron with 102 miles.

Having completed nearly 56 miles, two Airmen weren't in the running for team awards - that is, if they had been on a normal sized, eight to 10 person team.

However, Senior Airman Michael Durham, 9th Air Refueling Squadron, and Airman 1st Class Nicholas Dawson, 60th Aerospace Medicine Squadron, were both on one-person teams and pushed themselves through all 12 hours of the event.

Airman Durham does come from an athletic endurance background - including most recently the Diablo Ultra-Marathon here in California in April, in which he completed 43 miles and ascended 14,000 feet up Mount Diablo, and said that he has always been interested to see how far he can challenge himself physically and mentally. His goal for next year's Viking Challenge: to run 75 miles.

While Airman Dawson doesn't come from that type of athletic background, the two stuck together throughout the entire event, taking that first step across the starting line early Saturday, and finishing together that evening.

"I am very happy and proud of myself, and especially of Airman Dawson," explained Airman Durham. "He doesn't come from an endurance background and truly fought his way through all pain - a true warrior spirit!"

Airman Durham did take first place in another category. With $495 raised, he took home the prize for Most Money Raised by an Individual.

The Airman was quick to give credit to his squadron, since 100 percent of his donations came from them.

"Their generosity alone allowed me to individually raise the most money," he said.

Bringing in $2,720, the 615th CRW Phoenix Mobility Team received the award for the Most Money Raised by a Team.

Unrelated to mileage or money was an award category that anyone had a fair shot at: Best Costume. In complete snorkel gear throughout the entire event, Staff Sgt. Eric Thorn, 15th Air Mobility Operations Squadron, certainly earned the trophy.

Looking ahead to next year's event, Major Wenckus said he challenges Team Travis to focus even more on the fundraising portion of the event.

"Yes, it's a competition, and when it comes down to the final mile in the final minutes of the 12-hour event, it's exciting," he said. "But, this event is all about the Travis Fisher House. If every runner raised just $40 worth of pledges, we could increase our donations to the Fisher House by 30 percent."