MARINE CORPS LOGISTICS BASE ALBANY, Ga. -- On Saturday, with the clouds hanging low and the temperature at a firm chill, both Marines and Navy personnel aboard Marine Corps Logistics Base Albany, Ga., supported runners in the second annual Snickers Marathon Energy Bar Marathon organized by the Albany Area Chamber of Commerce. The Marines sponsored and manned a hydration station near Weymouth Drive and Gillionville Road at about 10 miles into the race. Navy personnel from the Naval Branch Health Clinic manned their station near the end of the route.
Also helping out at the Marine hydration station were the eight members of the Albany Marine Dixieland Jazz Band who played a wide selection of numbers like the theme from “Chariots of Fire,” “When the Saints Come Marching In” and one Christmas song prior to the race, just to raise their spirits and get into “the groove.”
This was the second annual marathon put on by the city of Albany. This year’s race saw about 750 runners competing in the marathon, half-marathon and one-mile fun run. This is an increase from about 600 participants last year. A marathon is 26.2 miles in length.
Simon Sawe from Albuquerque, N.M., had the top male time of 2:27:44 and Janet Cherobon from Lawrenceville, Ga., set the mark for the women at 2:37:27.
Saturday was a busy day in Albany with the race, a bicycle race that is part of the Georgia Cup Cycling Series and a Mardi Gras which began at noon in downtown Albany and ran until midnight.
The base had at least a couple of runners taking part in the full marathon. Capt. Michael Hester and 2nd Lt. Caleb Eames both ran the full 26.2 miles.
At the Marines’ hydration station, Gunnery Sgt. Leopoldo Nunez, operations chief, Logistics Support Division, MCLB Albany, said this was his first experience with the Albany marathon. Nunez included his entire family in the voluntary effort. He said, “They wanted to take the opportunity to do it and, so, why not.”
Nunez said he wasn’t running in the race because he didn’t train for it. He had previously run in a marathon in San Diego.
Sgt. Wesley C. Wilkinson, administrative clerk, Military and Operations Branch, Operations and Training Division, MCLB Albany, also volunteered for the weekend duty. Although he wasn’t running this time, he noted that last year at Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune, N.C., he ran in the Run for Relief. He said in that race, they had a unit that ran together. He said he thought he could do the race this year but it would take him about 12 hours and race officials wouldn’t let him drive his car.