REC & ROLL

Portland Marathon meets Iraq

The Portland Tribune, Sep 24, 2009, Updated Oct 30, 2009

Race director Les Smith says the Portland Marathon wants to be the sponsor for the U.S. Army half marathon.

JIM CLARK / TRIBUNE FILE PHOTO

Some people will participate in the Portland Marathon from half a world away.

Race organizers are working with the military to host and support half marathons at three posts in Iraq as part of the Portland Marathon’s “First Half.” Eventually, race director Les Smith says the Portland Marathon wants to be the sponsor for the U.S. Army half marathon.

“I’m being visionary here, they’re the ones who are the boots on the ground and trying to get things done,” says Smith, an Army veteran who served in Germany after being drafted during the Vietnam War. “With these guys coming back from (Iraq), we’ll be in tight with them. I’d like to become one of the sponsors of the (Army) half marathon, and use it as a training event for ours.”

Members of the Army, Air Force and Marines and Department of Defense civilians and contractors will run half marathons in Iraq this year.

On Sept. 27, a week before the Portland Marathon, about 300 people, mostly from the 5th Brigade, 2nd Infantry Division, based in Fort Lewis, Wash., will be running near Camp Victory in Baghdad. On the same day, members of a special task force for border transition, from Fort Riley, Kan., will run at Camp Warrior at Sulimaniya in northern Iraq.

On Oct. 3, a day before the Portland Marathon, about 170 people, mostly members of the 41st Infantry Brigade Combat Team of the Oregon National Guard, will run at Camp Adder in Tallil.

Some participants will do the half marathon in full military gear, Smith says.

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