Marine Enjoys Triumph
Casey Owens completed his first marathon yesterday, which is always a tremendous accomplishment. But it was especially so for Owens, who just over a year ago was injured in an antitank mine explosion in Iraq. As he crossed the Marine Corps Marathon finish line, the 24-year-old Marine corporal from Houston was mobbed by well-wishers, including Marine Commandant Michael Hagee.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/10/30/AR2005103001348.html
By Kathy Orton
Special to The Washington Post
Monday, October 31, 2005; Page E08
Casey Owens completed his first marathon yesterday, which is always a tremendous accomplishment. But it was especially so for Owens, who just over a year ago was injured in an antitank mine explosion in Iraq. As he crossed the Marine Corps Marathon finish line, the 24-year-old Marine corporal from Houston was mobbed by well-wishers, including Marine Commandant Michael Hagee.
"It went great," Owens said. "It was a lot more fun than I thought it would be, a lot more enjoyable. I couldn't imagine a better marathon."
Owens was the first Marine in a wheelchair to cross the finish line. Because he forgot to wear his timing chip, he did not receive an official time; however, he estimated that he finished in 2 hours 32 minutes. Not bad for a guy who hadn't used a handcrank chair until a month ago.
"Pushing myself around in a wheelchair that was my training, and being a Marine," said Owens, who had his left leg amputated below his knee and his right leg amputated above his knee.
Owens was one of 50 wheelchair competitors -- 35 handcrank chairs, 15 traditional wheelchair -- in yesterday's race, the largest turnout in Marine Corps Marathon history. (Handcrank chairs are not officially recognized in the Marine Corps Marathon results.) Last year, only seven wheelchairs competed. The significant increase was due in part to the large number of military personnel injured in Iraq or Afghanistan who competed yesterday.
Owens was part of a group from the Semper Fi Fund, which provides supplemental assistance to injured Marines and their families. Freedom Team, sponsored by Achilles Track Club, also had several injured military personnel in the race, including amputees who ran the race with prosthetics.
Doug Hayenga, a 22-year-old Marine sergeant from St. Cloud, Minn., flew in from San Diego yesterday morning for the race, arriving at Dulles International Airport at 5 a.m. On just two hours of sleep, Hayenga completed his first marathon in a handcrank chair in 3:31.
"I pushed myself," he said.
Hayenga, a Freedom Team member, was injured in Fallujah in April 2004. Shrapnel shattered his leg and knee. He also suffered a head injury, which led to memory and balance problems.
Owens, who has been rehabilitating at Walter Reed Military Hospital the past year, started walking about a month ago. He would like to run the marathon next year. But if he can't, he said he would do it again in a handcrank chair.
"It wasn't as hard as I thought it would be," Owens said. "It was too short. I got to Mile 20 and was like it's going to be over too soon."
Top Wheelchair Finishers
PEOPLE IN THE PACK
How the runners profiled this past week in The Post finished in yesterday's race.
Mike Huckabee , 50: Arkansas governor, 4:37:29 (personal record)
Ben Knippel , 58: running in celebration of his 30th wedding anniversary and on his wife's birthday, 6:49:49
See Mommy Run: Andrea Vincent, 37, 4:11:35; Jennifer Lagasca, 32, 7:23:53, Jennifer Badolato, 34, 4:30:10
3rd Platoon, Charlie Company: Capt. David Herron, 29, 5:01:09. Herron and those who completed the race earlier went back to finish with the rest of the company, which included Sgt. Alejandro Del Rio and Cpl. Clinton Barkley, who lost limbs in a July attack in Iraq.
Sara Mulhern , 32, and John Guthleben , 63: daughter and dad running fifth marathon together, 6:51:38
Marine Corps Marathon
Marine Corps Marathon
Top 10 Men:
1. Ruben Garcia, 2 hours, 22 minutes 14 seconds.
2. Carl Rundell, 2:22:23.
3. Eric Post, 2:23:51.
4. John Mentzer, 2:24:24.
5. Hipolito Sandovol, 2:27:26.
6. Benjamin Palafox, 2:27:49.
7. Jon Clemens, 2:30:25.
8. Dauvio Roberts, 2:30:39.
9. Keith Matiskella, 2:30:42.
10. Sergio Perez, 2:30:46.
Top 10 Women:
1. Susannah Kvasnicka, 2:47:07.
2. Liz Wilson, 2:49:55.
3. Emily Brozozowski, 2:54:55.
4. Marlene Farrell, 2:55:50.
5. Cathy Pugsley, 2:55:45.
6. Wendy Scott, 2:59:09.
7. Shelly Brand, 3:00:36.
8. Melissa Cole, 3:03:56.
9. Jennifer Richard, 3:05:39.
10. Jill Metzger, 3:06:39.
Ruben Garcia battles a cramped left hamstring to win the marathon with the fastest time since 1997.
Susannah Kvasnicka returns home to claim the woman's title with the second-fastest time in five years.
Notebook: Just over a year after being injured in Iraq, Casey Owens completes his first marathon.
Complete Men's Results (PDF)
Complete Women's Results (PDF)
Photos
_____ People in the Pack _____
Lt. Col. Steve Grass will be running the Marine Corps Marathon remotely from Kirkush Military Training Base in eastern Iraq.
A father and daughter bond by running long.
Most of the Third Platoon will honor a Marine from their unit by running in the race.
For Ben Knippel, a former Marine, it is the Rule of 30 that guides him.
Woman who pair motherhood and marathons.
Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee took up running as part of a weight-loss program that helped him drop 110 pounds.