By John Reese
USAG Stuttgart Public Affairs
Before the participants of the Shamrock 5k gathered, the USAG Stuttgart Family and Morale, Welfare and Recreation team had set up the route with some help from the 554th Military Police Company, inflated the start/finish arch, began a countdown to the starting pistol on the run timer and partnered with the Red Cross. All of this was before 9 a.m., March 17, a chilly, foggy morning on a day that later delivered a heavy snowfall.
At the crack of the starter pistol, the wave of runners broke through the starting arch to begin a zigzag course on Panzer Kaserne, eventually doubling back to the same arch. Runners young and old, some with dogs and others pushing baby carriages, wore green for St. Patrick’s Day.
Alexander Sprague, senior, Stuttgart High School, was the first to cross the finish line with a time of 15:13, a couple of minutes before his closest competition, 2nd place Chris Hallows and third place SHS freshman Jack Barringer.
“We had a great turnout for the first race of the FY18 racing season, despite the low temperature,” said Felicia Hanes, FMWR fitnesss coordinator and race organizer. “Participants came dressed in their St. Patrick’s Day costumes, making the event colorful and fun!”
Following the run, the adjacent Irish Pub opened early to serve green-tinted beverages.
Being a day for leprechauns, “The race course was a bit short of 5K,” Hanes said.
