Military base to host half-marathon

All U.S. citizens are invited to face off against some of the nation's finest military athletes at the first Joint Base race.

Naval Air Engineering Station Lakehurst, McGuire Air Force Base and Fort Dix - known as the Joint Base - will host the inaugural Joint Base Half- Marathon, 5K Fun Run/Walk and Kids Run on Sept. 29 at 8:30 a.m. in Wrightstown.

"The event will be open to all U.S. citizens," said Sgt. Kelly White, spokesperson for McGuire Air Force Base. "The Air Force Academy, Naval Academy and West Point men's and women's marathon teams will be among the event participants."

The 13.1-mile route will be on paved surfaces within McGuire Air Force Base and the Fort Dix cantonment area.

Participants may pick up their information packet on Sept. 28 from 4-6 p.m. The registration fee includes a prerace carb dinner on Sept. 28 at 6 p.m. at the McGuire Community Center. The guest speaker will be Col. Tom Kastner, coach of the U.S. Army Marathon Team.

Also included in the entry fee is a commemorative Joint Base T-shirt, a finisher's medal for the half-marathon, post-run snacks and race day entertainment.

Arrival time for all races on Sept. 29 is between 5-7:30 a.m. Base security personnel will direct participants where to park and to the main event area.

To register online by Sept. 24, log on to www.active.com/eventdetail.cfm?eventi d=1465706. Manual registration forms can be downloaded at http://www.305services. com/main/joint% 2Dbase%2 Drace%2D2007/base-race-reg-form.pdf, and must be postmarked by Sept. 21 to Lt. Terry DeMille, Readiness Office, 2905 Tuskeegee Airmen Ave., McGuire AFB 08641.