Post holds track and field meet

By Tina Ray
Paraglide

May 5, 2011

	Photo by Reginald Rogers/Paraglide Jose Reyna wins the three-mile event at the post track and field meet, April 27, at Hedrick Stadium. An avid runner, Reyna won with a time of 17 minutes and 16 seconds. The track meet, a Family and Morale, Welfare and Recreation event, took place, April 25 to 28 at the stadium, located at Longstreet Road and Reilly Street.

Though Audwin Lindsay retired from the Army in 2005, the lessons he learned as a Soldier about physical fitness have stayed with him long after he took off his Army combat uniform.

Lindsay was one of 54 military and government ID card holders who participated in Fort Bragg’s track and field meet, April 25 to 28, at Hedrick Stadium.

A former U.S. Army Corps Support Command master sergeant, Lindsay said he has an important reason for continuing to participate in Fort Bragg sporting events.
“To support MWR (Family and Morale, Welfare and Recreation), so that we can keep things like this going,” said Lindsay, who competed in the 440-yard dash for runners 35 years old and older, April 27.

He finished with a time of 1 minute, 5 seconds.

Lindsay also ran the 100 and 220 yard dash, both for runners age 35 and above. He finished with a time of 11 minutes, 73 seconds and 27 minutes, 49 seconds respectively.

Lindsay said that he first began taking part in track and field events on Fort Bragg in the 1980s.

Another participant, Eddie Anderson, competes in nearly 10 track and field events a year, he said.

“I’ve been doing track and field since I was 7 and now, I’m 49,” said Anderson, a native of St. Louis. “It’s something that’s in my blood, so I just love to do it.”

Anderson competed in the 880-yard dash for men 35 and older.

He finished with a time of 3 minutes, 55 seconds.

The meet involved both team and individual competition for men and women.

For Michael Cook, a typical week of running covers about 12 to 14 miles. An avid runner, Cook said he enjoys taking part in track and field events on post.

“It helps me clear my mind of all the day-to-day stresses that the military has to offer,” said Cook, a 19-year veteran who is originally from Tampa, Fla.

Cook won a bronze medal in the one-mile heat, April 26. Competing against younger servicemembers and veterans reminds him of how old he is getting, he said, but he likes the competitive spirit that comes with FMWR programs. Other Soldiers should participate if only as a means of relieving stress, he said.

Sierra Rumble, 12, cheered for her father, John Loniak, as he ran the three-mile event for men 35 and older.

“I just wanted to come and see all he does at his track meets,” Rumble said. “I wanted to support my dad.”

Rumble does not normally run with her father because he is really good at pacing himself and it takes her awhile to catch up when he gets ahead, she said.

Loniak’s finishing time was 18 minutes, 59 seconds.

The race, however, was Jose Reyna’s to win with a time of 17 minutes, 16 seconds.

In years past, Reyna said he has competed in the Army Ten-miler in Washington, D.C., and continues to participate in Fort Bragg track and field event because of the competition from younger runners.

“I think it keeps me young, or at least feeling younger,” said Reyna, who disclosed his age as over 40.

His son, Jose Manuel, 17, supported Reyna at the race.

The younger Reyna seldom runs with his father, a distance runner, because it is hard to keep up with him, he said.

Fort Bragg continually offers FMWR events for Soldiers, Airmen, retirees, Department of Defense civilians and Family members in an effort to ensure well being.

Increasing participation is always the goal of officials.

Anderson said he wishes more people would participate in those events, including track and field.
“I wish we had more participation because I’ve been doing this for four years, and it’s the same guys every year,” he said.

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