June 18, 2014 -- The weather was perfect for the more than 1,200 people who turned out for the 15th annual U.S. Marine Corps Detachment’s Volkslauf Saturday.
The 10k mud run started at the Fort Leonard Wood Car Wash and covered roadways, trails, hills, two river crossings and a mud pit before ending at Happy Hollow.
Addy Falaniko was running the Volkslauf for the second time.
“I had fun the first time I ran it. Getting up the hills and through the river are the best parts. I am looking forward to the mud pit,” Falaniko said.
Master Gunnery Sgt. Larry Cantu, Marine Corps Detachment, Motor Transport Instruction Company academics officer, was participating for his fourth time.
“I am getting older, but it is still fun. My favorite part is running downhill,” Cantu said. “It’s unique, because you see everybody out here. There are older people, young kids, civilians and active-duty. It is challenging, and it is just great.”
For people thinking about doing the Volkslauf for the first time next year, Cantu has some advice:
“Run some hills. There are two big ones, and they are killers,” he said.
Jeff Caquelin was the overall individual first-place winner, followed by Norman Holcomb in second place and Tyler Meredith in third place.
Team winners were as follows:
Male team
1st place: Sappers
2nd place: Mud Dawgs
3rd place: Wolverines!
Female team
1st place: Globetrotters
2nd place: Mud, Sweat
3rd place: Sweaty Soles
Military team
1st place: Pirates 1
2nd place: Clark
3rd place: Waynesville High School
Co-ed team
1st place: A Few Good Men
2nd place: Delta Dawgs MO
3rd place: Mud Blasters