Incirlik Airmen partake in running trial: Part 3 of 3

  • Published
  • By Senior Airman Daniel Phelps
  • 39th Air Base Wing Public Affairs
INCIRLIK AIR BASE, Turkey --  Editor's note: This is part three of a three-part series on a trial running program taking place on Incirlik Air Base.

After eight weeks of training, the day had finally arrived. The Airmen lined up on the track and took off from the starting line, beginning their final 1.5-mile run test and concluding the running improvement program trial they had been a part of.

The weeks of hard work and three-times-a-week early mornings paid off - the average time dropped from the start to the finish of the program was a minute to a minute and a half. Some Airmen dropped even more than that.

"My first run at the beginning of the program, I ran in about 19 minutes," said Tech. Sgt. Janice Batie, 39th Logistic Readiness Squadron hazardous material pharmacy assistant NCO in charge. "On my final I ran it in about 14 minutes, about five minutes faster than my original time."

Many of the participants told Bobbi Cervantez, 39th Medical Group exercise physiologist, that the program was a real eye-opener for them, seeing the easy progress and results.

"I was also really surprised by the positive attitude the participants had in this," Cervantez added. "Showing up before 6 a.m., I expected them to be more disgruntled."

Batie admitted she was a little nervous on the first day because she didn't know what to expect from the course.

"I was also shocked with my first time," she said. "I wouldn't have been able to pass a PT test with that time. I had also been on a profile for a while, so I hadn't run in forever."

As the program progressed, running came easier, Batie added.

"When we took the mid-test, I had actually dropped 3 minutes from my run time," Batie continued. "I was surprised at how this worked and how fast it got easier. I actually enjoyed running,too."

Consistency was the key to their improvement, Cervantez said. Those who were the most consistent saw the biggest drops in time. Utilizing programs and resources at the Incirlik Health and Wellness Center, such as a gait analysis, also helped participants succeed.

"My knees started hurting at one point," Batie commented. "So I talked to Bobbi, and she suggested I come in for a gait analysis. After checking it out, she suggested I get a new pair of running shoes. So I did, and it made a huge difference."

Seeing the results at the end of this program really made this worth it, Cervantez added. Some people weren't even able to run 22 minutes straight without stopping at the beginning.

"I really enjoyed watching everyone push themselves," Cervantez said.

"Seeing my progress and how much better I was getting was my favorite part of this program," Batie said. "I also enjoy running more, and it has inspired me to start taking a smoking cessation class."

Batie said she plans to continue running and use what she learned from the program to help out a friend drop their run time.

The results from this program will now be sent up to the Air Force Medical Operations Agency from this base and other bases along with comments from the participants, Cervantez explained.

"I think this program should continue," Batie added. "Twenty-two minutes is not that much time out of your day. A lot of people do need help with their run. I'm proud of how far I've come in such a short period of time."