Story, photos and video by Chris Stone
“Faster! Faster! This is a race!” drill instructors screamed Saturday morning as more than 2,500 runners became Marine “recruits” for two hours at the 13th annual Bootcamp Challenge at Marine Corps Recruit Depot San Diego.
“Yes, sir!” came the shouted replies near the flight path of Lindbergh Field.
There was no time to slow down. Failure to finish the course was not an option.
Drill instructors with lungs as tough as their boots bellowed and gestured at the challenge, a three-mile run open to the public. Brig. Gen. James Bierman Jr., the base’s commander, addressed the crowd.
Getting a taste of boot life, men, women and children (one as young as 6) ran the obstacle course that thousands of Marine newcomers face for 13 weeks. A small fraction submitted to having their heads shaved.
More than 60 drill instructors kept the runners on task. But the yelling didn’t seem to faze the runners as many of them smiled as they jogged past the stern DIs.
On the mostly dirt course, entrants faced obstacles including hay jumps, tunnel crawls, log hurdles, 6-foot walls (with bails of hay compassionately placed in front), trenches, cargo net walls and push-up stations. Awards were given to the top three finishers in each of the 29 categories divided into different age groups, individual performances and team performances.
Proceeds from the event go to the Quality of Life programs for Marines at MCRD.
The event is part of San Diego Fleet Week activities that began Aug. 30 and continue through Nov. 21. Fleet Week continues next weekend with the Miramar Air Show.
Runners check out an inflated Marine before the race.
Elite runners are the first to tackle the obstacle course.
More than 2,500 runners of all ages completed the three-mile course.
A young boy crawls through a rope obstacle as a drill instructor checks on the runners.
A participate grits her way through a dusty rope challenge.
A runner jumps over a log half way through the race.
Children were among the participants in the challenge.
Runners duck as an instructor shouts from above.
Runners go through a series of obstacles to get a taste of Marine life.
A drill instructor shouts and a runner enjoys herself.
A runner was instructed on doing a proper pushup.
Grossmont High School students are stopped and told to drop by a drill instructor.
More than 60 drill instructors shouted “encouragement” to runner as they faced more than 40 obstacles.
A runner makes his way under the ropes in a dusty obstacle.
A runner is “greeted” by a drill instructor as she emerges from a tunnel.
A runner is triple-teamed by drill instructors at a pushup area.
A team is relieved to finish the race.
Elite racers and younger men started in early heats Saturday morning.
A drill instructor shouts at the runner to “get off the wall!”
Joe Dizon, who said his friends forced him to do it, gets his hair buzzed by a depot barber.
The top three finishers in each age category won a medal.
Drill Instructor Philip Krein goes over the safety rules before the race.
Commander General James Bierman talks to the crowd of runners about the significance of the training center.
Six-year-old Abby Webb, who finished the run, gets help from her mom, Angie, as she goes over a log.
Runners were instructed to shout “yes, sir” when they were spoken to during the race.
Runner were instructed how to do proper pushups before the race. At a couple of places in the race, runners were ordered to do pushups.
Runners cheered before the race began at 9 a.m.
An honor guard presented the colors while the national anthem was sung.
More than 60 drill instructors were stationed at obstacles “encouraging” runners.
The drill instructor’s yell doesn’t faze a runner at the Bootcamp Challenge
