Tenth edition of Rambler 120 Team Challenge set for Oct. 1

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  • Joint Base San Antonio-Randolph Public Affairs
JOINT BASE SAN ANTONIO-RANDOLPH, TEXAS --  

One of Joint Base San Antonio’s premier fitness events reaches a milestone this year.

The 502nd Force Support Squadron-hosted Rambler 120 Team Challenge will be presented for the 10th time Oct. 1 at JBSA Recreation Park at Canyon Lake. The grueling adventure race tests four-person “Xtreme” teams, eight-person relay teams and individual competitors with a 22-mile bike race through the Texas Hill Country, a 6-mile run across Canyon Dam, a 2-mile raft race along the shoreline and a mystery event.

“A lot of bases are doing fitness events, but what is unique about the Rambler 120 is the health and wellness aspect and the team camaraderie,” said Abbie Pollard, 502nd FSS community programs and partnership specialist. “When the participants finish the race, you can see how happy they are.”

Last year, the Rambler 120 added all-active-duty Xtreme and relay teams, Pollard said.

“The all-military category was a huge hit,” she said.

The only changes this year are providing individual racers in the “Just-4-Fun” category with trackers to check their time and eliminating the “Iron Kid” biathlon for 5- to 12-year-olds, Pollard said.

“For the first time, individuals in the ‘Just-4-Fun’ category will be timed, but they won’t be eligible for awards,” she said. “Twelve individuals competed in Just-4-Fun last year, but we’re expecting more this year because they will be timed.”

Last year’s adventure race featured 18 Xtreme teams, 19 relay teams and 12 individuals – 236 participants in all, Pollard said. Most of the participants were from JBSA, but a few teams came from Laughlin Air Force Base, Texas.

Xtreme and relay teams compete in all-male, all-female and coed categories.

One of last year’s first-place winners was Maj. John Robinson, Army North Future Operations strategist, who competed in his first Rambler 120 with his all-military Xtreme team, ARNORTH FUOPS.

“I thought the race was great,” he said. “The organizers did a great job ensuring that things ran smoothly and communicated very well with participants.”

The most challenging part of the Rambler 120 was the 6-mile run, Robinson said.

“I think that is where the race was won because the top bikers seemed to have a lot of experience,” he said. “Winning the gold provided bragging rights for months. We are looking forward to winning again this year.”

Senior Airman Bruce Gonzalez, 47th Medical Group medical records technician, was another gold medal winner. He competed with the Iron Medics, an all-military relay team from the 47th MDG at Laughlin Air Force Base. “

The experience was great,” he said. “I feel the time training and traveling to the event definitely allowed us to grow as a team.”

The raft event was the most difficult part of the race, Gonzalez said.

“You can row on the machine all day and that will ensure your stamina, but being able to row as one and in one direction was a challenge,” he said. “At that point in the race you're all tired and frustrated. However, once we reached halfway through the phase and after some motivational words in the raft, we were able to execute the task and help secure our positioning in the race.”

Mike McCarthy, Air Force Personnel Center force support career field manager, also competed in the Rambler 120 for the first time – in the Just-4-Fun division. He prepared for the adventure race with a routine fitness program that complements a tri-challenge event. “

I run, ride and sometimes swim during the week,” the retired Marine said. “I did two of the mini-tri challenges at JBSA-Fort Sam Houston last year and they were very well managed and extremely fun. I run occasional 5Ks and 10Ks and do some local event rides.”

The Rambler 120 will again offer Air Force RecOn program funding to team members and individuals who are in the military, Pollard said. The RecOn program, which provides recreational activities for active-duty members and their families, will pay the military members’ registration fees.

Sept. 23 is the deadline to register for the event, but teams that sign up through Sept. 1 receive a discount by paying an early-bird fee of $100 for the Xtreme division and $150 for the relay division. The fee increases to $120 for Xtreme teams and $150 for relay teams after Sept. 1. Individuals pay a $25 fee. The fee covers a barbecue lunch, a commemorative T-shirt and awards.

For more information, call the 502nd FSS office at 652-5763 or email 502fss.fsk.jbsacommunityevent@us.af.mil.