Gunfighters conquer Sawtooth Relay

  • Published
  • By Senior Airman Megan P. Lyon
  • 366th Fighter Wing Public Affairs Office
MOUNTAIN HOME AIR FORCE BASE, Idaho --  Waking up well before dawn in the cold mountain air to run may not sound appealing to some but more than 65 Gunfighters and their families did just that June 14 for the 17th Annual Sawtooth Relay.

In addition to five ultra-marathoners, the race featured 263 teams including many from Mountain Home Air Force Base. Each team consisted of six runner or walkers in the 12 leg, nearly 62 mile relay.

Beginning at Stanley Elementary School, in Stanley, Idaho, and ending at Atkinson Park, in Ketchum, Idaho, each participant completed two of the 12 legs through the mountains east of Boise. Each leg averaged five miles.

Ultra-marathoner Charles Francisco, 366th Civil Engineer Squadron locksmith, ran the entire course by himself in a little over 13 hours despite catching a cold during the relay.

"I have more fun at Sawtooth than any other event," said Mr. Francisco, a 59 year-old veteran of five Sawtooth Relays. "Sawtooth has more class than any race in the world. There's no better race in the world."

The relay raised funds for the Idaho Donor Network and Polycystic Kidney Disease Foundation. The Idaho Donor Network is dedicated to educate Idahoans about the need for organ and tissue donation. The PKD Foundation is dedicated to educating people about, and funding research for, the treatment and cure of PKD.

The relay drew more than 1,500 participants but some of the runners travel hundreds of miles to participate, including Chief Master Sgt. Michael Stirewalt, 8th Maintenance Group group enlisted manager, Kunsan Air Base, Republic of Korea.

"Maj. [Jesse] Murray, [334th Training Squadron operation director at Keesler AFB, Miss.,] started [the team off] at 6:15 a.m.; in the brisk mountain air. She was all bundled up to try to stay warm," said Maj Joseph DiFidi, 366th Operations Support Squadron wing scheduling chief and captain of the Boise Bus team. "We weren't going to break any records, but we all wanted to push ourselves and help out the team."

Throughout the relay teams showed their allegiance by riding in support vehicles alongside the runner.

"What a teamwork experience," said Chief Master Sgt. Allen Niksich, 366th Figther Wing command chief. "My first leg at 4 a.m. was very cold. My second leg at 1 p.m. was incredibly hot. Without my teammates [from the Gunfighter Silverbacks] urging me on, I would have been in trouble."

The Gunfighter Silverbacks placed third in the men's master division with a finish time of eight hours and 11 minutes.

Other base teams competing included the 366th CES Raging Bulls, who competed in the corporate division and finished in eight hours and 25 minutes. The 366th Communications Squadron's team, Off Constantly, competed in the corporate division and finished in ten hours and one minute.

The 726th Air Control Squadron's team, Hardrock, also competed in the corporate division and finished in ten hours and four minutes. Airmen from the 391st Fighter Squadron, 366th Contracting Squadron and 366th OSS formed the Boise Bus team. They competed in the corporate division and finished in eight hours 33 minutes.

The 266th Range Squadron fielded two teams, De-Range-D Runners and De-Range-D Runners Too, competing in the men's open division and finished in nine hours and five minutes and 11 hours and 45 minutes respectively.

"When you get to the end, you really feel like you've achieved something," said Capt. Kurt Weissgerber, 366th CS operations flight commander.

Gunfighter Videos

ACC News

Air Force News

 

What to See More Photos? Check Them Out Here!

How to Download Photos:

The best place to download hi-res photos and videos from Mountain Home AFB is the 366th Fighter Wing Public Affairs page on the Defense Visual Information Distribution Service.
An account is required to download any photos and videos!

Another source to download hi-res photos from the Mountain Home PA is the 366th Fighter Wing Flickr Page
No account is needed to download content.

Spacer. Do not delete