A race to remember

  • Published
  • By Staff Sgt. Rachelle Blake
  • 325th Fighter Wing Public Affairs
TYNDALL AIR FORCE BASE, Fla. --  A year ago, the world witnessed another terrorist attack on American soil, this time in Massachusetts during the 117th Boston Marathon, the world's oldest marathon. The attack claimed three lives and injured an estimated 264 others.

Even those who weren't directly affected, but were in the general area, felt the wave of panic and chaos.

"I finished about 20 minutes before the bombs went off," said Technical Sgt. Blaine Truman, 43rd Aircraft Maintenance Unit F-22 flight line expeditor. "The festivities were so loud, and my wife and I were already walking back to the hotel. Even if I would have heard something, I would have thought it was part of the celebration."

Last year was the second time he ran the marathon.

"I thought to myself, 'what if I would have run a little slower,'" said Truman, a Breman, Ind., native. "My wife was standing less than 100 feet from where one of the bombs went off. She would have been right there."

Truman said the whole experience was surreal.

"It is still hard to believe," he said. "You always hear about stuff like that, but it isn't until you are actually involved that it hits you. I remember they shut off all the cell phone towers because they thought the bombs were cell phone activated. So, we couldn't call anyone. I was very grateful I was able to be with my wife."

There were people who couldn't find loved ones; they had no idea where they were. A lot of people were very panicked, Truman added.

But, just like many others who were witnesses to the horror of that day, Truman has not let the event take his spirit or slow him down.

Although he competed in track and field and cross country in high school, it wasn't until five years ago, after already serving seven years in the Air Force, that he found his passion for running.

"Some friends of mine talked me into running a 5K, then I did a few more and I moved on to a 10K, a half-marathon and eventually worked my way up to a full marathon," said Truman.

Now, I have trained so long that I can run a half marathon at any time, he said.

"But, when I know I have a full marathon coming up, I slowly have to build back up to it," said Truman. "It takes a lot of meal preparation. I go to the gym just about every day and do some sort of work out. I also run three to four times a week. I do sprints once and the rest vary between an easy, medium and hard run."

Those who have trained with him know he takes the sport seriously.

"I have always been considered an advanced runner, finishing in the top 10 percent of the events I enter," said Master Sgt. Cole Fricke, currently deployed to Bagram Air Base, Afghanistan, as the Transient Alert Contracting Officer Representative. "But training with Blaine took me to a whole different level; I took an hour off my marathon time. I can't tell you the number of people who thought that weight training with him was a good idea. Most would do one of his circuits and say 'that was a really good workout,' but Blaine would reply 'that was just round one.'"

No distance was too long; no pace was too fast, added Fricke.

Fricke trained with Truman for a year and is sure he will never have a training partner quite like him again.

"'Bring it,' he would say," said Fricke, whose homestation is Aviano Air Base, Italy, where he works as the 31st Maintenance Squadron production superintendent. "He always had more gas in the tank and was always encouraging. His competitive attitude and spirit encouraged others around him to compete and participate in events and activities that they would not have on their own."

Truman's wife is also a huge supporter.

"My wife has gone to almost all of my races," said Truman. "She also helps me to train. She rides beside me on her bike during my long runs. She plays music and has a little basket on the front with water and sports drink bottles."

Truman said it takes a lot to dedicate to the training needed.

"It takes hours every day and then race day finally comes and you get to see how well you can do," he said. "You push yourself as far as you can go ... it's a huge accomplishment."

Even with all the work, there are still points that prove to be hard.

"Usually around mile 18, you start to feel real tired, your body will stop sweating and it is harder to digest water and sports drinks," said Truman. "A lot of it is also mental, and the training definitely helps. It is what gets me from mile 18 to 26.2."

Truman has completed eight full marathons and placed in the top 13 percent of runners from around the world. His fastest marathon time was 3:03:59.

For 2014, he has registered for the Rock n' Roll Marathon in Nashville, Tenn., and the Air Force Marathon at Wright Patterson AFB, Ohio. He hopes to complete his next marathon in less than three hours.

"As a runner Truman is elite," said Fricke. "At full speed he has been known to throw off gravitational pulls and effect weather conditions. He loves competing in events and even though he usually blows away the competition, he is really there for the camaraderie and spending time with others that enjoy the sense of accomplishment after a race."