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Taking the Bloomsday Challenge

  • Published
  • By Senior Airman Jocelyn A. Ford
  • 92nd Air Refueling Wing Public Affairs
FAIRCHILD AIR FORCE BASE, Wash. --  The week of Feb. 13, a challenge was posed to all members of Team Fairchild: train for Bloomsday. The Bloomsday race began in 1977 and has become so popular that runners from around the world participate. Members of Fairchild participate annually, and this year Fairchild will stand out against the rest.

In years past the base fitness center has provided information on training for this race; this year they took it one step further. The 92nd Services Squadron posed a challenge. This contest, "places competition between units, rather than on the individual, which drives the participation" said John Gahagan, 92nd SVS fitness director. The Bloomsday Challenge encourages members of each squadron to log the miles they run in preparation for Bloomsday. There are 12 squadrons participating in the challenge, totaling 312 registered individuals who have already logged a combined total of 12,000 miles.

With the race fast approaching, May 4, the competition is soon coming to an end. May 2 is the end of the Bloomsday Challenge when all the miles will be logged; a winning squadron will be announced May 5. The lead squadron will receive a trophy and all registered members will receive "a white Team Fairchild t-shirt so they can be seen from the helicopter above during the race," said Mr. Gahagan.