MARINE CORPS BASE HAWAII -- Marine Corps Community Services Hawaii and Combat Logistics Battalion 3 hosted the 21st annual Swamp Romp at Marine Corps Base Hawaii’s Landing Zone Boondocker, Feb. 7, 2015.
The race was 5-miles long and consisted of many obstacles from mud pits to climbing walls and everything in between.
Participants of the race could either run by themselves or in groups of five or six. The race is Hawaii’s first mud and obstacle run and was open to the public.
This year there were approximately 1,120 participants in the race including 289 individuals and 137 teams.
“This year’s turnout was lower than previous years,” said Krista Shipes, the athletic director and race coordinator for Marine Corps Community Services MCB Hawaii. “We believe this is due to the influx of new, similar races coming to the island.”
Shipes said this is the largest race of the Commanding Officer’s Fitness Series. Construction of the race’s 12 obstacles began in January and was installed the week prior to the race.
“There was lot of running and mud, then more running and even more mud,” said Christopher Burke, of Marine Light Attack Helicopter Squadron 367. “You crawled with the mud, swung on a rope with mud; it was overall a lot of fun though.”
Burke recommends that anyone who plans to run the race next year tapes the top of their socks and shoes to keep mud out.
“I ran into a lot of deep mud and obstacles,” Burke said. “There were things to crawl over and under; it was a lot of fun.”
Burke said the race was a lot more difficult than he thought. He said with each step he took his feet got stuck into the sinking mud, which tired him out.
“At new twists and turns you just think, ‘Is this the last one yet,’” Burke said.
One of the things that kept Burke going was the fact that he couldn’t let his own group beat him.
He said the mud and ponds were extremely smelly and humid which added to the intensity of the race.
“It didn’t smell good and it didn’t taste any better,” Burke said. “You just have to block it out and keep running.”
The top three male and female individual winners were awarded for their speed. Medals were also given to the top three teams in each team division.
The overall feedback was positive and participants enjoyed the race, Shipes said.
The Beast, a 10-kilometer race, is on March 21.
For more information on any of the races and to see results visit mccshawaii.com.