Photo By Sgt. Spencer Rhodes | Army Maj. Jason Small, executive officer for the 391st Military Police Battalion, has...... read more read more
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GUANTANAMO BAY, Cuba - The armed forces is a community that fosters interaction with all different calibers of athletes. From swimmers to runners to Olympic weight lifters, it’s safe to say that even if working out isn’t an individual’s forte, the military is still more of an encouraging environment for those looking to exercise than most. That aspect brings not just various types of athleticism, but an eclectic assembly of experience in the characters who ply their preferred sport.
Army Maj. Jason Small, the executive officer for the 391st Military Police Battalion, is one Soldier who fits that description. Those who work with him have christened him ‘Seabiscuit’ for his exceptional running ability, despite being shorter than most competitive runners. They’ve even gone so far as putting the nickname on his door at work.
Recalling the first time someone at work called him that, Small said, “I started getting called that because I’m shorter than most guys, but I can run pretty fast. A lot of the people you see [running] are often a lot taller.”
A former Division I college athlete on Indiana State University’s nationally ranked cross country team, Small has competed with the best of them, and while his days of being a student runner have come and gone, his achievements in running now still exceed what some would even consider trying to achieve. In early August he came in first place in the MWR’s duathlon race in the individual category with an impressive finish time of one hour, 57 minutes.
“Running out here, the hard part is the heat, and I’ve had trouble with that in the past,” said Small. “My running approach isn’t always the amount of miles I run but making sure the miles I do run really count. I have very specific goals for each run.”
His workouts don’t just take him to the track, which he also frequents when doing sprint workouts, but to the gym, ridgeline trail and any road that presents him with challenging hills to get the most of his workout.
“My gym workouts revolve around high reps, low weight, calisthenic style workouts. For me it’s more important to have lean muscle mass than adding a bunch of bulk,” said Small.
Luckily for him, life on Naval Station Guantanamo Bay is never lacking in runs to compete in. The MWR is planning a 5k run and a 12 mile run near the Northeast Gate. As of right now, Small hopes to be able to do both, and already has a goal in mind for the 5k.
Small laughs and shakes his head at the mention of the 12 mile run, “Part of me doesn’t really want to do the 12 mile run, because I know it’s going to hurt, but I’m just going to approach it with a smile and try to enjoy it. As for the 5k, I’d really like to have it at 18 and some change, maybe around 18:30.”
Running isn’t all he does though, what spare time he does have on the weekends, the 391st executive officer can probably be found working on his Intermediate Level Education or on the water in one of MWR’s kayak. Even when not specifically doing something with the intent of exercising, he finds something that helps keep him fit simultaneously.
“The people at the Marina pretty much expect me every Saturday and Sunday to get my kayak. I think so far, I’ve been everywhere you’re allowed to be in the bay, on a kayak,” said Small.
| Date Taken: | 08.28.2014 |
| Date Posted: | 08.28.2014 13:06 |
| Story ID: | 140702 |
| Location: | GUANTANAMO BAY , CU |
| Web Views: | 70 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
This work, Seabiscuit: An executive runner, by SGT Spencer Rhodes, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
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