Keesler runners leave mark in several marathon categories Published Sept. 18, 2007 By Susan Griggs 81st Training Wing Public Affairs KEESLER AIR FORCE BASE, Miss. -- Keesler's fast feet left their imprint in several categories at Saturday's Air Force Marathon at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio. Jennifer Lepper, 81st Aero-space Medicine Squadron, ran on the Air Education and Training Command team that placed second of 30 in the women's relay category with a time of 3:44:24. Her teammates are Kristi Contardo, Columbus AFB, Miss.; Kellie Courtland, Lackland AFB, Texas, and Saskia Johnson, Maxwell AFB, Ala. The Keesler Dragons, a base-sponsored coed team, placed third of 129 teams in the coed relay category with a time of 3:09:18. Members are Nick Plante, public affairs; Nick Vanni, 81st Security Forces Squadron, and Sheronne Bunn and Zach Wallick, 81st Medical Operations Squadron. In the same category, Information Nation from the 336th Training Squadron came in 96th place with a time of 4:36:38. Members are Melinda Fletcher, David Hughes, Larry Bright and Jennifer Koehler, now stationed at Barksdale AFB, La. Another 336th TRS team, Master Blasters, finished in fifth place of the 17 teams in the masters category for over-40 runners with a faster time than the "youngsters" from their squadron at 4:02:16. Karla Proper, Robert Randall and Annette Owens were teammates, along with Annette's husband, Terry, who works in the 81st Training Support Squadron. Two other Keesler runners excelled in the half-marathon. Nick Slater, 81st TRSS, placed 11th of 172 in his age group and 89th out of 1,120 in the men's division with a time of 1:35:37. Jennifer Plante, whose husband Nick was one of the Keesler Dragons, placed fifth out of 133 in her age group and 27th out of 948 in the women's category with a time of 1:38:25.