Windfall: Winner of 10km Fun Run women’s category, Lt Hanna Brown, hands over her $25 prize money to her friend, Capt Laurie Drummond as a farewell gift. Photo by Capt Michael Brooke
SIX Army runners did the ADF proud when they took on the might of the US military in a 10km fun run held at Ali Air Base in southern Iraq on July 4 to mark US Independence Day.
Lt Hannah Brown, Over-watch Battle Group(West)3’s physiotherapist, won the women’s event with a time of 45.55.
The agile Lt Brown finished ahead of 90 per cent of the competitors, many of them massive-framed US soldiers almost double her size.
All six OBG(W)3 runners ran the race of their lives to register places in the top 50 against a field of 250 competitors.
Lt Brown, who won a 5km fun run at Ali Air Base three weeks earlier, donated her $25 prize money to Capt Laurie Drummond as a farewell present.
“It’s really great to get this cheque because now I won’t have to use my money to buy my friend a farewell present,” she joked.
Capt Drummond, who placed 15th in the race, said it was sweet of her friend to give her such a special farewell present.
“I’ll buy something in the PX before I go,” said Capt Drummond, who was scheduled to return home on July 14.
Lt Brown and Capt Drum-mond were among the six Aussies who all finished in the top 50 and were rewarded with T-shirts.
The other four Army runners were Capt Oli Barwald, LCpl Chris Read, Pte Dan Morgan and Sgt Dallas Sharp, all of who needed less than an hour to finish.
The fun run was also a race against time with all the competitors striving to finish within the 60-minute mark to avoid the broiling sun and stifling heat that rockets from 24C to 48C in no time at all.
