MCM Forward

Three hundred eighty six service members from the Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps and foreign military services participated in the 36th Marine Corps Marathon from their forward operating bases in Afghanistan and Iraq and aboard a U.S. aircraft carrier in a remote version of the event called MCM Forward. Although the service members did not experience the cold 39 degree temperature at the MCM start in Arlington, VA on Oct. 30, 2011, MCM Forward participants ran the MCM over difficult terrain, through hostile territory and on the high seas.

Finishing first among the largest group of 331 participants of MCM Forward from Camp Leatherneck Afghanistan was British soldier Capt. Frazer Alexander, a maintenance officer with 1st The Queen’s Dragoon Guards. Alexander completed the 26.2 mile event in 2:49:20. During his marathon run, Alexander wore a Union Jack shirt and was draped in the flag of his native Luxembourg as he crossed the finish. Placing second for the men was U.S. Marine 1st Lt. Andrew Lee an assistant data officer with Regional Command South West and a native of Washington State, who ran the course in 3:07:00. Estonian Army Capt. Andre Silver, a communications officer with RC(SW) finished in 3:08:20, placing third.

U.S. Marine 1st Lt. Angelica Valdez, 25, of Tucson AZ finished MCM Forward first among women running the course in 3:15:00. Maj. Kerry Mengelkoch, a U.S. Marine Reserve educational officer for RC(SW) governance and development section, placed second at 3:43:10. Cpl. Patricia Sinclair, a British service member, completed the event in 3:52:10, finishing third. This is the third year MCM Forward was held at Camp Leatherneck.

The second largest group participating in MCM Forward included 26 Sailors serving on board the USS H.W. Bush. The lead male finisher, Lt. J.G. John Gnik, an aviation ground support equipment division officer completed the MCM in 3:23:18.

“Running the MCM on deployment is an experience that runners like me can boast about,” Gnik said upon finishing.

Finishing first among the women was Seaman Molly Treece, a mass communications specialist, who completed MCM Foward in 3:36:37. “Even though we can’t get the full race experience, I still feel a sense of camaraderie amongst the participants,” said Treece. “From the junior to the most senior, we’ve all trained for this one race, this one moment.”

Other MCM Forward events were held with 19 service members participating from Kabul, Afghanistan; six service members participated while stationed in Iraq and four others participated in MCM Forward from Sharana, Afghanistan. MCM Forward was sponsored by Emergent, Geico and Britten Banners.

MCM Forward - 6,940 Miles Away at Camp Leatherneck, Afghanistan

Good Luck Runners, from the Marines

PREVIOUS MCM FORWARD WINNERS