Wolf Pack officer represents PACAF during Air Force Marathon

KUNSAN AIR BASE, South Korea -- He's been training for weeks, preparing his mind and body for arguably the Air Force's most-strenuous physical competition: the annual Air Force Marathon. 

For Capt. Jeremiah Reed, an e-mail from the base's fitness and sports center director revealed he wasn't representing the 8th Fighter Wing "Wolf Pack" during the event. He'd be representing all of Pacific Air Forces. 

"I think it's awesome I actually get to run for a team and represent PACAF," the wing flight safety officer said. "In high school, I ran cross country and, in college (AF Reserve Officer Training Corp), I ran to stay in shape. It's always something I enjoyed doing." 

The selection to be one of four representatives for PACAF to the 11th annual, 26.2-mile run, which takes place at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio, and throughout the local area, cultivates the F-16 Fighting Falcon pilot's 18-week training program. The marathon, according to www.usafmarathon.com, includes a range of altitudes from 800 to 1,000 feet. A press release on the Web site revealed more than 10,000 runners was expected at the event. 

The captain's intense workout schedule covers six days a week, with an eight to 12-mile run on Saturdays, a 14-mile run on Sundays, gradually increasing throughout training, two days of three-to-five miles for recovery workouts, wind sprints on Tuesdays and a buildup run on Thursdays to maintain a constant 10-kilometer running pace. 

"Running marathons is something I do to stay in shape," Captain Reed admitted. "I have a hard time keeping myself physically fit unless I have a goal I'm working towards. Running a marathon is something I've always wanted to do; sort of a bug I caught on to. It gives you a goal to work towards as something to keep in shape." 

In 2005, Captain Reed got his chance to do something that "was always on my list of things to do before I die," as he put it. While assigned to the 23rd Fighter Squadron at Spangdahlem AB, Germany, a number of pilots assigned to the "Fighting Hawks" decided to train for the annual Paris Marathon. Always looking to push his body farther, Captain Reed joined in. 

"After the guys in the squadron started training, before you knew it, half the squadron jumped on the bandwagon and we trained for it together," he said. "My original goal was to run it in four hours. I finished it in 3:08." 

And the captain didn't stop there. After moving to Kunsan in 2006, Captain Reed began training for the Seoul Marathon. Later that December, he ran the annual Honolulu Marathon, challenging his body by tackling the tropical island's several hills along the elevated route. In April 2007, he ran another local race in Gwang-ju. 

And on Sept. 15, he's looking to add a fifth marathon to his record. 

Training for a marathon or any other arduous physical activity is one of the Air Force's pillars to being 'Fit-2-Fight' and PACAF's 'Resilient Warrior' program. Each emphasizes health and wellness, and through physical training, obtaining both. When asked about how his training coincided with each program, Captain Reed felt his training and marathon running went "well above and beyond what is normally required." 

"Training for a marathon will definitely get you in shape to be 'Fit-2-Fight,'" he said. "But you can apply that to things that apply to your job. For me, that includes flying. Between the possibility of heat stress and pulling high-g maneuvers, being physically fit definitely helps me out with all that." 

But his training for the marathon doesn't stop at being physically fit. Day-to-day, the captain said he stays to a strict diet. 

"To be honest, I try to eat healthy all the time anyway," he said. "Carb(ohydrates) are the best, so I try to eat pasta now and then. I stick with a low-fat, high-protein and high-carb diet. I also avoid fatty foods and go after whole-grain breads and pastas." 

And 24 hours before the marathon, the captain said he had specific plans with his family. 

"I'm going to relax and do a two-mile easy run to loosen up," he said jokingly. "Mainly, I'll stretch really well. My dad and I are also going to check out the Air Force Museum. Then I'll probably have a nice dinner with him at Olive Garden with a bottomless bowl of pasta. After all, I've got to stay up on my carbs." 

Results for the race will be made available on the AF Marathon Web site.