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Eighty people turned out for the 2017 10K Ruck Challenge and 5K Fun Run/Walk at Veterans Park in Hoover, Alabama, on Saturday, Oct. 14, 2017.
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A participant in the 2017 10K Ruck Challenge makes his way up a hill on a trail at Veterans Park in Hoover, Alabama, on Saturday, Oct. 14, 2017.
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Participants in the 2017 10K Ruck Challenge make their way up a hill on a trail at Veterans Park in Hoover, Alabama, on Saturday, Oct. 14, 2017.
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Several men participated in a pushup competition at the 2017 10K Ruck Challenge and 5K Fun Run/Walk at Veterans Park in Hoover, Alabama, on Saturday, Oct. 14, 2017.
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A large U.S. flag hangs at Veterans Park in Hoover, Alabama, for the 2017 10K Ruck Challenge and 5K Fun Run/Walk on Saturday, Oct. 14, 2017.
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Members of the Thunderbolts cross-country club team prepare for the start of the 2017 10K Ruck Challenge and 5K Fun Run/Walk at Veterans Park in Hoover, Alabama, on Saturday, Oct. 14, 2017.
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Members of the University of Montevallo women's lacrosse team wait for the start of the 2017 10K Ruck Challenge and 5K Fun Run/Walk at Veterans Park in Hoover, Alabama, on Saturday, Oct. 14, 2017.
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Several men participate in a pushup competition before the start of the 2017 10K Ruck Challenge and 5K Fun Run/Walk at Veterans Park in Hoover, Alabama, on Saturday, Oct. 14, 2017.
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Frank Shaw, a student at the Cumberland School of Law and member of the Campus Veterans Association at Samford University, accepts congratulations for winning the pushup competition at the 2017 10K Ruck Challenge and 5K Fun Run/Walk at Veterans Park in Hoover, Alabama, on Saturday, Oct. 14, 2017.
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A Blue Start Salute Foundation display honors the 218 military members from Alabama who were killed while on active duty since 9-11. The display was set up at the 2017 10K Ruck Challenge and 5K Fun Run/Walk at Veterans Park in Hoover, Alabama, on Saturday, Oct. 14, 2017.
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A Blue Start Salute Foundation display honors the 218 military members from Alabama who were killed while on active duty since 9-11. The display was set up at the 2017 10K Ruck Challenge and 5K Fun Run/Walk at Veterans Park in Hoover, Alabama, on Saturday, Oct. 14, 2017.
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A man prepares his ruck (weighted backpack) prior to the start of the 2017 10K Ruck Challenge and 5K Fun Run/Walk at Veterans Park in Hoover, Alabama, on Saturday, Oct. 14, 2017.
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Participants in the 2017 10K Ruck Challenge wait for the start of the event at Veterans Park in Hoover, Alabama, on Saturday, Oct. 14, 2017.
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Kate Jenkins of Bessemer sings the national anthem just prior to the start of the 2017 10K Ruck Challenge and 5K Fun Run/Walk at Veterans Park in Hoover, Alabama, on Saturday, Oct. 14, 2017.
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Members of the University of Montevallo women's lacrosse team salute during the singing of the national anthem at the 2017 10K Ruck Challenge and 5K Fun Run/Walk at Veterans Park in Hoover, Alabama, on Saturday, Oct. 14, 2017.
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Members of the Thunderbolts cross-country club team pay their respects to the U.S. flag during the singing of the national anthem at the 2017 10K Ruck Challenge and 5K Fun Run/Walk at Veterans Park in Hoover, Alabama, on Saturday, Oct. 14, 2017.
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A team prepares for the start of the 2017 10K Ruck Challenge at Veterans Park in Hoover, Alabama, on Saturday, Oct. 14, 2017.
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People prepare for the start of the 2017 10K Ruck Challenge and 5K Fun Run/Walk at Veterans Park in Hoover, Alabama, on Saturday, Oct. 14, 2017.
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A man explains the route for the 2017 10K Ruck Challenge and 5K Fun Run/Walk at Veterans Park in Hoover, Alabama, on Saturday, Oct. 14, 2017.
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People prepare for the start of the 2017 10K Ruck Challenge and 5K Fun Run/Walk at Veterans Park in Hoover, Alabama, on Saturday, Oct. 14, 2017.
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Runners take off at the start of the 2017 10K Ruck Challenge and 5K Fun Run/Walk at Veterans Park in Hoover, Alabama, on Saturday, Oct. 14, 2017.
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People take off at the start of the 2017 10K Ruck Challenge and 5K Fun Run/Walk at Veterans Park in Hoover, Alabama, on Saturday, Oct. 14, 2017. In front is Pamela York, 31, of Calera, Alabama, who was the top female finisher (and fourth overall finisher) in the 5K with a time of 26 minutes and 9 seconds.
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Emily Hildebrand, 19, and Morgan Odom, 20, both members of the Air Force ROTC program at Auburn University, take off at the start of the 2017 10K Ruck Challenge at Veterans Park in Hoover, Alabama, on Saturday, Oct. 14, 2017.
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Participants in the 2017 10K Ruck Challenge and 5K Fun Run/Walk take off at the start of the event at Veterans Park in Hoover, Alabama, on Saturday, Oct. 14, 2017.
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Participants in the 2017 10K Ruck Challenge and 5K Fun Run/Walk take off at the start of the event at Veterans Park in Hoover, Alabama, on Saturday, Oct. 14, 2017.
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Participants in the 2017 10K Ruck Challenge and 5K Fun Run/Walk take off at the start of the event at Veterans Park in Hoover, Alabama, on Saturday, Oct. 14, 2017.
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Participants in the 2017 10K Ruck Challenge and 5K Fun Run/Walk take off at the start of the event at Veterans Park in Hoover, Alabama, on Saturday, Oct. 14, 2017.
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Participants in the 2017 10K Ruck Challenge and 5K Fun Run/Walk take off at the start of the event at Veterans Park in Hoover, Alabama, on Saturday, Oct. 14, 2017.
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Participants in the 2017 10K Ruck Challenge and 5K Fun Run/Walk take off at the start of the event at Veterans Park in Hoover, Alabama, on Saturday, Oct. 14, 2017.
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Participants in the 2017 10K Ruck Challenge and 5K Fun Run/Walk make their way along the course at Veterans Park in Hoover, Alabama, on Saturday, Oct. 14, 2017.
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Kate Jenkins of Bessemer, Alabama, makes her way along the course of the 2017 10K Ruck Challenge and 5K Fun Run/Walk at Veterans Park in Hoover, Alabama, on Saturday, Oct. 14, 2017.
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Andrea Martin makes her way along the course of the 2017 10K Ruck Challenge and 5K Fun Run/Walk at Veterans Park in Hoover, Alabama, on Saturday, Oct. 14, 2017.
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Austin Bachman, 16, of Alabaster, Alabama makes his way up a hill during the 2017 10K Ruck Challenge and 5K Fun Run/Walk at Veterans Park in Hoover, Alabama, on Saturday, Oct. 14, 2017. Bachman was the winner of the 5K Fun Run/Walk with a time of 22 minutes and 43 seconds.
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Pamela York, 31, of Calera, Alabama makes her way up a hill during the 2017 10K Ruck Challenge and 5K Fun Run/Walk at Veterans Park in Hoover, Alabama, on Saturday, Oct. 14, 2017. York was the top female finisher and fourth overall finisher in the 5K with a time of 26 minutes and 9 seconds.
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A young man makes his way up a hill in the 2017 10K Ruck Challenge and 5K Fun Run/Walk at Veterans Park in Hoover, Alabama, on Saturday, Oct. 14, 2017.
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Kate Jenkins of Bessemer, Alabama, at left, and Andrea Martin of Hoover, Alabama, make their way up a hill during the 2017 10K Ruck Challenge and 5K Fun Run/Walk at Veterans Park in Hoover, Alabama, on Saturday, Oct. 14, 2017.
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Participants in the 2017 10K Ruck Challenge and 5K Fun Run/Walk make their way up a hill on the course at Veterans Park in Hoover, Alabama, on Saturday, Oct. 14, 2017.
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A runner makes her way along the course during the 2017 10K Ruck Challenge and 5K Fun Run/Walk at Veterans Park in Hoover, Alabama, on Saturday, Oct. 14, 2017.
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Runners make their way through the woods during the 2017 10K Ruck Challenge and 5K Fun Run/Walk at Veterans Park in Hoover, Alabama, on Saturday, Oct. 14, 2017.
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Veterans groups were represented at the 2017 10K Ruck Challenge and 5K Fun Run/Walk at Veterans Park in Hoover, Alabama, on Saturday, Oct. 14, 2017.
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Forty-one people participated in the 2017 10K Ruck Challenge at Veterans Park in Hoover, Alabama, on Saturday, Oct. 14, 2017.
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Forty-one people participated in the 2017 10K Ruck Challenge at Veterans Park in Hoover, Alabama, on Saturday, Oct. 14, 2017.
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Forty-one people participated in the 2017 10K Ruck Challenge at Veterans Park in Hoover, Alabama, on Saturday, Oct. 14, 2017.
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Forty-one people participated in the 2017 10K Ruck Challenge at Veterans Park in Hoover, Alabama, on Saturday, Oct. 14, 2017.
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Forty-one people participated in the 2017 10K Ruck Challenge at Veterans Park in Hoover, Alabama, on Saturday, Oct. 14, 2017.
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A group from Gracie Barra Alabama, at left, teaches Brazilian jiu jitsu self-defense techniques to people at the 2017 10K Ruck Challenge and 5K Fun Run/Walk at Veterans Park in Hoover, Alabama, on Saturday, Oct. 14, 2017.
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Kaliffa Oliveira, in front, and Hunter Riley, in back, demonstrate how to flip someone when you are placed in a headlock from behind as part of a Brazilian jiu jitsu demonstration at the 2017 10K Ruck Challenge and 5K Fun Run/Walk at Veterans Park in Hoover, Alabama, on Saturday, Oct. 14, 2017.
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Kaliffa Oliveira, in front, and Hunter Riley, behind demonstrate how to flip someone when you are placed in a headlock from behind as part of a Brazilian jiu jitsu demonstration at the 2017 10K Ruck Challenge and 5K Fun Run/Walk at Veterans Park in Hoover, Alabama, on Saturday, Oct. 14, 2017.
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Liz Tyler, a University of Montevallo women's lacrosse player from New York, takes a stab at flipping someone when attacked from behind during a Brazilian jiu jitsu self-defense demonstration at the 2017 10K Ruck Challenge and 5K Fun Run/Walk at Veterans Park in Hoover, Alabama, on Saturday, Oct. 14, 2017.
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Groups that support veterans were represented at the 2017 10K Ruck Challenge and 5K Fun Run/Walk at Veterans Park in Hoover, Alabama, on Saturday, Oct. 14, 2017.
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Glenn Nivens, secretary for the Blue Star Salute Foundation, at left, shares about the 218 military members from Alabama who died while on active duty since 9/11, using a display at the 2017 10K Ruck Challenge and 5K Fun Run/Walk at Veterans Park in Hoover, Alabama, on Saturday, Oct. 14, 2017.
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Members of the University of Montevallo women's lacrosse team and representatives from Gracie Barra Alabama pose for a headlock photo at the 2017 10K Ruck Challenge and 5K Fun Run/Walk at Veterans Park in Hoover, Alabama, on Saturday, Oct. 14, 2017.
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Seth Powers, 25, of Holt, Alabama, nears the finish line of the 2017 10K Ruck Challenge at Veterans Park in Hoover, Alabama, on Saturday, Oct. 14, 2017.
Running a 10K (6.2-mile) race can be a challenge, but imagine adding an extra 25 or 40 pounds for the trek.
Forty-one people did that today at the 10K Ruck Challenge at Veterans Park off Valleydale Road, toting their rucks (weighted backpacks or vests) as they ran and walked. The men carried an extra 40 pounds, while the women added 25 pounds.
The event was a fundraiser for the National Veterans Day Foundation and an effort to raise awareness for upcoming Veterans Day events in the Birmingham area.
Another 39 people took part in the 5K fun run/walk, resulting in an overall record turnout of 80 people for the fifth annual event. The first four years drew a combined 90 people, said Lacy Gunnoe, an Air Force pilot who is captain of the Birmingham chapter of Team Red, White and Blue and lead organizer for the 10K Ruck Challenge.
Gunnoe, who also is the operations flight commander for Detachment 12 of the Air Force ROTC program at Samford University, said he was amazed with this year’s turnout.
Joshua Mixon, 33, of Alabaster was the top finisher in the 10K ruck race, with a time of 1 hour, 5 minutes and 1 second. Abigail Hathaway, 19, of Athens, Georgia, was the top female with a time of 1 hour, 18 minutes and 7 seconds.
Photo by Jon Anderson
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Austin Bachman, 16, of Alabaster, Alabama makes his way up a hill during the 2017 10K Ruck Challenge and 5K Fun Run/Walk at Veterans Park in Hoover, Alabama, on Saturday, Oct. 14, 2017. Bachman was the winner of the 5K Fun Run/Walk with a time of 22 minutes and 43 seconds.
In the 5K run, 16-year-old Austin Bachman of Alabaster, a member of the Thunderbolts cross-country club team, came in first with a time of 22 minutes and 43 seconds. Pamela York, 31, of Calera was the top female finisher in the 5K and fourth overall, with a time of 26 minutes and 9 seconds.
John Michael of the Oak Mountain community was among five members of the Red Mountain Ruck Crew who formed a team for today’s race.
Their group, which is made up of people throughout the Birmingham area, initially formed to train for the GoRuck Challenge, an endurance event based on Special Forces training that is designed to push people past mental barriers. But now they’re just a bunch of friends who meet together for fitness training in Birmingham’s Railroad Park on Saturday mornings.
Seth Powers, a 25-year-old from Holt in Elmore County, wasn’t on a team. He just read about the 10K Ruck Challenge on Facebook and decided to give it a try. He’s a runner and wanted to show support for U.S. veterans, he said.
Several veterans groups also were present this morning to share information about their groups and honor military members who were killed while on active duty since 9-11.
Photo by Jon Anderson
10K Ruck Challenge 2017-11
A Blue Start Salute Foundation display honors the 218 military members from Alabama who were killed while on active duty since 9-11. The display was set up at the 2017 10K Ruck Challenge and 5K Fun Run/Walk at Veterans Park in Hoover, Alabama, on Saturday, Oct. 14, 2017.
Retired U.S. Army Maj. Gen. David Burford of Hoover was there representing the National Veterans Day Foundation, a nonprofit group whose purpose is to recognize, honor and support U.S. veterans. He said events like the 10K Ruck Challenge help get younger veterans involved in veterans groups.
Several people also were there from Gracie Barra Alabama, teaching Brazilian jiu jitsu self-defense moves, and Kiva Hot Yoga led a free morning yoga session.
