2nd ID Troops Test their Physical Abilities

Soldiers check their physical limit at 2011 Ultra Fitness Challenge
By Pfc. Chang Han-Him, 2nd ID

CAMP CASEY, South Korea – There are many ways for Area I soldiers to spend their weekends, but the participants of the 2011 Warrior Country Invitational Ultra Fitness Challenge held April 9 at Camp Casey may have chosen the toughest.

Each participant was required to complete a course that included seven stations throughout camps Casey and Hovey. The seven elements were designed to test three main physical abilities of the soldiers: strength, endurance and agility.

“This event started last year with the vision of combining all the participants’ aspects of fitness and function in one place,” said Area I Sports, Fitness and Aquatics Director Randy Behr. “I hope all Area I ID holders can have fun together challenging themselves in this kind of event rather than working out by themselves.”

As soon as Behr pulled the trigger on the starting pistol, challengers sprinted to the place where their bikes were located. They then rode the bikes seven kilometers around Camp Casey to check their ‘endurance.’ When they came back to the starting point, they were told to flip tires at Carey Field.

“For me, the tire flip section was the harshest,” said Maj. Wendell Rhodes from Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 1st Heavy Brigade Combat Team. “Flipping the massive tire back and forth around the field takes a lot out of you.”

Their strength was the next thing to be tested. The contestants ran five kilometers to the Camp Hovey obstacle course with a 35-pound rucksack. When they came back to the Schoonover Bowl they tested their agility by running up and down the stairs of the stadium.

“Drinking a lot of water to prevent dehydration is the most important thing in this kind of energy consuming events” said Pfc. Wesly B. Arrison from C Company, 302nd Brigade Support Battalion. Medics from the 302nd BSB provided medical support by checking the Soldiers’ condition throughout the entire event to prevent severe injuries.

The final event for the participants was to run back to the starting line while wearing their rucksack.

When it was all said and done, the first soldier to cross the finish line was 1st Lt. Nicholas Shamrell from A Company, 2nd Battalion, 2nd Aviation Regiment from K-16 Airbase. He beat the previous record by four minutes and finished the challenge in 48 minutes and 42 seconds. Second place went to Pfc. Daniel Lavander from A Company, Task Force, 1-72 Armor Regiment who was only 30 seconds behind Shamrell.

Shamrell said hiking for many years helped him get off to a good start in the mountain bike portion, and that helped him win the race. However, he said he was not used to running with a rucksack, so that was the hardest part for him.

“It was a good learning experience to check what my body is capable of,” Shamrell said. “I hope more people could come next time and share this experience together.”