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Comprehensive Airman Fitness: Fairchild Airmen’s Running Team

  • Published
  • By Scott King
  • 92nd Air Refueling Wing Public Affairs
FAIRCHILD AIR FORCE BASE, Wash. --  In its second year now, the Fairchild Running Team is going strong, but with spring just around the corner, they are seeking to increase participation in the coming months.

The idea stemmed from a tradition that O'Doherty's Irish Grille, in downtown Spokane has, known as the "Flying Irish Running Club." The restaurant puts together running teams in the spring and summer as a teambuilding and socializing event.

Colonel James Crutchfield, the 92nd Operations Group commander, caught wind of it last year and thought why not try it here as a form of teambuilding, esprit de corps and to promote running and fitness in a casual environment?

"The whole idea here is to promote a healthy lifestyle while having fun," said Col. Thomas Roshetko, 92nd Medical Group commander. "It's not a competition and is not a professional runners club - we have gazelles and cabooses."

The club has been running "fun" courses for a little over a year now. They started with five or six runners and it now has blossomed to more than 20. As a group, they run every Tuesday and band together each week with a new course.

"I think the running team has been hugely successful and has had a very positive impact across the wing," said Lt. Col. Mark Kraby, 92nd Operations Support Squadron commander. "It brings Airmen together from across the wing and the base, breaks down barriers, improves communication between groups, emphasizes physical fitness and supports a few of the wing commanders vectors - 'building an unbeatable team and taking care of yourself, which, ultimately improves mission effectiveness.'"

The team is open to all people including families and even pets.

"We want to stress that this is open to everyone and that, more than anything, it's meant to be fun," Roshetko said. "The benefits of the physical activity are a welcomed bonus."
So far, word of the team has gotten around through word of mouth. They want to change that.

"To join the team-runs, anyone can just show up at the Winner's Circle at the FunSpot every Tuesday at 4:45 p.m. to run a new course, keeping in mind it's not mandatory to run every week," Kraby said. "We really hope to build the team week-by-week going into the spring - come on out and have some fun with us while taking care of yourself."