Imagine that you're running a half-marathon on the trails of Fort Benning, Georgia--13.1 miles through the pine barrens, in and out of deep ravines carved by creeks eager to join the Chattahoochee River, stumbling over rocks and tree roots. You no longer know which mile you're on, or which hill you're climbing. When you crest the slope, you're abruptly confronted with the shade of Lieutenant General Lewis Burwell "Chesty" Puller, United States Marine Corps. Would he speak? What would he say to you as you passed by?"Run faster. You'll hurt more, but you won't hurt as long."
Or something like that. Chesty Puller was a Marine's Marine, starting off as a private and, after surviving battles with many deadly enemies, rising to become a three-star general. Which is why Fort Benning's 13.1-mile trail race is called the Chesty Puller Challenge.
Aaron Catlin won the long race for the second year in a row, finishing close to half a kilometer ahead of the next runner. Sarah Schreck was the first woman in the half marathon, placing fourteenth overall in 1:48:51. Four months earlier Schreck had won the women's title in the Soldier Half-Marathon in nearby Columbus, Georgia. On the paved course of the Soldier Half-Marathon she went 1:28:28. On Benning's rugged trails, she ran over twenty minutes slower. That's how tough the Chesty Puller Challenge is.
Catlin's winning time was almost five minutes faster than the 1:35:41 he has posted in the 2018 Chesty Puller Challenge. Connor Roche, the 2019 runner-up, also bettered Catlin's 2018 time, running 1:32:53. Frank Phillips followed Roche across the finish line, taking third in 1:35:56.
Alicia Tenbrink was second in the women's standing, placing 61st overall in 2:10:42. Erika Kitson was the third woman and 83rd overall in 2:15:15.
168 athletes had the persistence to finish the 2019 Chesty Puller Challenge Half-Marathon Trail Race. Event Technical Services, Inc., of Sylvester, Georgia timed and scored the event.
Top Ten Men, 2019 Chesty Puller Challenge Half-Marathon Trail Race
- 1:30:45, Aaron Catlin (M, 18-29)
- 1:32:53, Connor Roche (M, 18-29)
- 1:35:56, Frank Phillips (M, 30-39)
- 1:41:57, Nicholas O'Brien (M, 30-39)
- 1:42:32, Justin Kline (M, 30-39)
- 1:42:43, Colin Feild (M, 18-29)
- 1:42:51, Collin Jones (M, 30-39)
- 1:43:09, Daniel Prince (M, 30-39)
- 1:43:22, Reaven Lantz (M, 18-29)
- 1:44:53, Nick Causey (M, 18-29)
Top Ten Women, 2019 Chesty Puller Challenge Half-Marathon Trail Race
- 1:48:51, Sarah Schreck (F, 18-29)
- 2:10:42, Alicia Tenbrink (F, 30-39)
- 2:15:15, Erika Kitson (F, 30-39)
- 2:21:13, Victoria Currens (F, 18-29)
- 2:21:54, Elizabeth Beck (F, 18-29)
- 2:22:50, Shawna Thornton (F, 30-39)
- 2:24:19, Lindsay Hapney (F, 30-39)
- 2:27:13, Irene Zepeda (F, 30-39)
- 2:29:01, Megan Hale (F, 18-29)
- 2:30:07, Sandy Ewers (F, 40-49)
| Chesty Puller Challenge Half-Marathon Trail Race winners, 2012 - 2019 | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Date | Men | Women | Finishers |
| 5 May 2012 | |||
| 6 April 2013 | 1:41:48, Anthony Thompson | 2:09:51, Kristin Thompson | 84 |
| 15 March 2014 | 1:28:24, Tim Nelson | 2:15:32, Amanda Oldaker | 200 |
| 14 March 2015 | 1:38:24, Mark Gaudet | 2:09:26, Jenn Gaddy | 149 |
| 7 March 2016 | 1:39:47, James Miller | 1:54:46, Theresa Edwards | 172 |
| 4 March 2017 | 1:29:53, Robert Killian | 2:02:50, Erin Divinski | 203 |
| 17 March 2018 | 1:35:41, Aaron Catlin | 1:55:17, Jacqueline Head | 189 |
| 16 March 2019 | 1:30:45, Aaron Catlin | 1:48:51, Sarah Schreck | 168 |
Links
- Complete results of the 2019 Chesty Puller Challenge Half-Marathon Trail Race
https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/e/2PACX-1vQw54uCatd7vGzEh-PRxuel3RSiYpA3Jq1X1LiJVsc0Gx97lL9RzGlII3t8YzEylKUye7hKBmyH3uyk/pubhtml
- 2018 story, “Aaron Catlin and Jacqueline Head rise to the Chesty Puller Challenge”
https://troubleafoot.blogspot.com/2018/03/chesty-puller-2018.html
- Find future trail runs in the Tallahassee region on the Trouble Afoot! racing calendar
https://troubleafoot.blogspot.com/search/label/calendar?max-results=1
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