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Reserve Globemaster pilot helps AF win Ironman military title

  • Published
  • By Staff Sgt. Shane Ellis
  • 315th Airlift Wing Public Affairs
JOINT BASE CHARLESTON, S.C. --  "I was beginning to get cold and my body was shivering," said Capt. Jamie Turner. "I was 100 yards from the beach, and I had been treading water for 30 minutes. Finally, I heard the gun and that is when it all started."

Captain Turner, a C-17 Globemaster III pilot with the 317th Airlift Squadron here, was on a 140.6 mile journey with 1,800 of the world's best triathletes as she competed in the Ford Ironman World Championship Oct. 9 in Kona, Hawaii.

After 10:48:31 it was over. Captain Turner completed one of the world's toughest challenges of mental, physical and spiritual endurance, and she also helped propel the Air Force team to victory as they claimed the Ironman military division title.

"It was everything I dreamed it would be," said Captain Turner. "I am very satisfied with my performance, and I accomplished all my goals. I finished the race, we finished first among the other forces, and I had fun."

Captain Turner's performance began at 7 a.m. when the gun went off and she began the 2.4-mile swim.

"The start is not easy," she said. "I was kicked, smacked and elbowed during half of the swim. It got better at the half-way point, and I finished the swim in 1:15:43."

Exiting the water, Captain Turner said she felt good with her swim, and she felt comfortable as she ran up to the pier to transition to her bike.

The 112-mile bike course took the athletes through town a couple of times before they headed out through the lava fields along the Kona and Kohala coastlines.

"When I was riding through town, the crowd was very encouraging," she said. "I was riding parallel to the ocean, the scenery was beautiful, and it can get a little lonely out there with no one there to encourage you."

With only 20 miles completed on the bike, Captain Turner said she began to experience cramping in her right leg. After 45 miles on the bike, she pushed through the pain as the course took a left turn for what would begin a 20 mile up-hill climb with strong headwinds and crosswinds.

"It was hard to stay on the bike," she said. "I couldn't stay aerodynamic and it was hard to drink since I couldn't take my hands of the bike."

Once she reached the top she made the turn and descended back to the lava fields for the long journey back.

With 90 miles complete on the bike, Captain Turner began to experience abdominal pain and was still battling pain in her right leg.

"I normally don't have people pass me on the bike," she said. "People were passing me that I thought shouldn't be passing me. I didn't know if I was going to be able to run when I reached the end of the bike course."

Amazingly, Captain Turner said she endured the pain and felt fine as she pushed to the end and transitioned in to her running shoes.

Similar to the beginning of the bike course, the 26.2-mile marathon had the triathletes running through the crowd-cheering streets for about the first 10 miles.

Moving forward, Captain Turner said the terrain was rolling and her pace was steady as she reached the ascending section of the run at Palani Drive.

"The up-hill run was challenging," she said. "I was able to pass many competitors who were walking during this section of the race. I wasn't sure how far the other services were behind me but I felt good, I had a constant pace, and I knew I was making up time which I had lost on the bike."

With the sun beaming down, Captain Turner said she continued to stay strong both mentally and physically during the marathon.

As the run was coming to an end, Captain Turner said she was almost a mile from the finish line when she grabbed the Air Force flag to carry it with her to the finish.

"The last mile on Alii Drive was such a rush," said Captain Turner. "The crowd was yelling, 'go Air Force,' I was full of adrenaline, I had tons of energy, I felt great, and I finished the marathon with a personal best time of 3:41:26."

Captain Turner said she is thankful for the opportunity to represent the USAF. She and her teammate, Maj. Scott Poteet from the U.S. Air Force Academy, propelled the AF to victory over the other forces with a combined time of 20:27:36.

In classic Ironman fashion, Captain Turner said she will always remember the most famous words a triathlete can here during the Ford Ironman World Championship... "Jamie Turner, you are an Ironman."

Here Captain Turner talk about her Ironman experience at http://www.youtube.com/user/315AirliftWing?feature=mhum.

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