Aviano Airmen battle through 34-mile extreme race

  • Published
  • By Staff Sgt. Lindsey Maurice
  • 31st Fighter Wing Public Affairs
AVIANO AIR BASE, Italy --  Two Aviano Airmen competed in the most challenging race of their lives June 6 - overcoming both mental and physical obstacles in order to cross the finish line.

Jared Struck of the 31st Aircraft Maintenance Squadron and Douglas Campfield of the 31st Maintenance Group spent months training for the 9th Annual Le Grand Raid International du Cromagnon, a 34-mile extreme race through the Maritime Alps.

The course, which began in Camp d'Argent and ended on the French beachside village of Cap d'Ail, a few meters south of Monte Carlo, included an elevation gain of more than 10,280 feet and an elevation loss of -16,056 feet, with more than 95 percent of the 34-mile course traversed by trail.

The duo crossed the finish line as 101 and 102 out of the 264 competitors, overcoming a tough descent on rough terrain and some frustrating navigational challenges along the way.

"Without a doubt, the challenge was descending," said Struck of the 31st Aircraft Maintenance Squadron. "At points we had to crab crawl down over jagged rock and very technical terrain.

"Everyone in the race fell at least a few times and a couple of those falls required some serious medical attention. I personally fell twice and had a bunch of close calls. On the other hand, (Master Sgt.) Campfield made it about 32 miles before he had one of the most wicked falls I had seen all day. He basically caught his foot on a rock and did a front flip and when he finally stopped sliding he was about six inches away from a shear 20-foot drop. Luckily, he was okay and we were able to press after a few choice words."

The other big obstacle participants faced was course navigation, said Struck.

"The course wasn't the standard marathon-type course where everything is laid out perfectly," he said. "The course markings had some issues, and knowing that some of the course was not marked well, the race directors handed out a race book with turn-by-turn directions. To add to this issue, the day prior to the event, landslides knocked out some of the trail."

But even with these obstacles standing in their way, Struck and Campfield agreed that it was a great experience and they're happy they participated.

"This was a great race with good people, challenging terrain and great views," said Struck. "We're really glad we competed."

The race, which originally encompassed a 70-mile course beginning in the Italian ski village of Limone Piemonte, was reduced to 34 miles due to excessive snow (1.2-1.5 meters) on the first half of the course. The two Airmen began their rigorous training regimen in preparation for the original 70-mile distance.

Before heading into the race, both Struck and Campfield felt well prepared and anxious for the race to get underway.

"We're really in this for the challenge," said Struck in a pre-race interview. "We've both done marathons which are tough, but it's one thing to go into a race with the goal of beating your previous distance or time; it's entirely different to go into a race just wondering if you'll even be able to make it to the finish line. This race is more about survival - running 70 miles through the Alps and making it to the end."

In order to compete in the annual race, entrants had to first complete an ultra marathon that encompassed at least 26.2 miles by trail and elevation gains of at least 10,000 feet.

In order to meet the requirements, Struck and Campfield competed in the Ecomaratona dei Cimbri in Fregona, Italy, in September 2008, which included 42 kilometers across a terrain that included 12,800 feet of elevation gain.

"While the course was just short of the ultramarathon distance minimum requirement, the elevations of the terrain far surpassed the elevation requirement, which the committee decided made up the difference for us to enter the race," said Struck.

Both Struck and Campfield have been physically active most of their lives, Struck having run track and cross country in high school and continuing on through most of his military career and Campfield as a bicyclist transitioning to long-distance running about three and a half years ago. Both have also competed in several marathons, with Struck participating in one other 40-mile ultra marathon in Kansas last summer.

The two athletes met through the Aviano Roadrunners, a non-competitive group of civilian and military walkers, joggers and runners who meet weekly to participate in various Volksmarch sanctioned events throughout the Friuli Venezia Giulia region.

"You'd be surprised what you can accomplish if you just try," said Campfield. "Everyone can run, whether it's just one lap around the track or a mile. You just have to find your starting point and progressively build off that."

In training for the Le Grand Raid International du Cramagnon, Campfield and Struck started running about 50 miles a week and progressively logging more at longer distances on various terrain around the local area, including a lot of trail time through the "Prealpi" Dolomite mountain range north of Aviano.

"Typically, we try to focus on time as opposed to distance, running four hours minimum," said Struck in May. "This type of competition isn't about speed, but more about longer, low intensity running so that we can go all day. It comes down to endurance and will power to keep going."

Struck said that the duos training regimen really seemed to pay off the day of the race.

"We were definitely well prepared," he said. "Although this race was the most difficult one I've attempted, there was never a point when I felt that I didn't have the energy to finish."

Both Struck and Campfield agreed that signing up for the competition together was also an advantage.

"It's a lot easier when you have someone running alongside you to keep you motivated," said Campfield. "In running solo, it can be easy to mentally psych yourself out, but we make a good team and keep each other going."

Both Struck and Campfield added that having the support of their family and friends was also important.

"My wife was behind me 100 percent and wanted me to do well, but she was nervous at the same time," said Struck. "I guess a competition like this would make any wife nervous though."

Struck added that their training schedule was also demanding on their family lives, which is another reason having the backing of their wives' meant so much.

"It can be hard trying to balance your work, family and training," he said. "Typically your weekends are for family time, but that's also time we had to allot for training. It's tough going out for a 12-hour run on Sunday and then coming home to do family stuff when your body is exhausted. But you have to make the time and find the right balance. We couldn't do this without their support."

Struck said that the duo is already turning their attention to the next race - the Swiss Alpine Marathon on July 25, a 78-kilometer trail ultra marathon.

"We can't wait," he said. "It should be a good one."