Dragon Challenge earns $3,000 for Fisher House

From left, Zsuzsanna Krokovay, Jermain Smith, Brig. Gen. Andrew Mueller, Kayla Spiel, Aleksandar Petrakov, Striggow and Chief Master Sergeant Curtis Jennings. Krokovay, Smith, Spiel and Petrakov represented the Mach 12 team that tallied 255½ miles. General Mueller is the 81st Training Wing commander, Striggow is the Keesler 5/6 president and Chief Jennings is the wing’s command chief. (Courtesy photo)

Dragon Challenge earns $3,000 for Fisher House

Published June 30, 2011
By 81st Medical Group
Public Affairs

KEESLER AIR FORCE BASE, Miss. -- Keesler runners put their best feet forward to raise $3,000 for Fisher House through the 12-hour Dragon Challenge fundraising relay marathon June 10.

According to Rich Striggow, 333rd Training Squadron, 238 runners participated in the event at the Triangle Track. Striggow is president of the Keesler 5/6, Dragon Challenge sponsor.

Mach 12 from the 81st Medical Operations Squadron tallied the most miles of the 18 teams with 255½ miles.

Guillermo Hernandez, 81st MDOS, was the individual who ran the most miles for the second year, this time with "only" 45 miles. He also had the most donations with $384 and served as team captain for the 12-member Shortcakes team made up of runners from the 81st MDOS, 81st Contracting Squadron, 81st Diagnostics and Therapeutics Squadron, 81st Aerospace Medicine Squadron, 81st Surgical Operations Squadron, 403rd Aircraft Maintenance Squadron and 81st Training Wing.

"I still can't believe I did as well as I did," Hernandez said. "I did it mainly to help raise money for the Fisher House but also just for the fun of it and to see if I could beat my record from last year of 47½ miles by running 60 miles. Unfortunately, I only ran 45 miles in about 10 hours because I had to leave for school.

"I really lost training time due to knee problems -- the day of the relay was actually my first day running in two weeks," he continued. "I did start having a little knee pain at about Mile 27 but managed to stretch it out and finish the relay."