Vance relay-team finishes OKC marathon in 4 hours, 46 minutes

  • Published
  • 71st Flying Training Wing Public Affairs

VANCE AIR FORCE BASE, Okla. -- A team of Vance runners entered the Oklahoma City Memorial Marathon April 30, and in the proud words of one of the runners, “We finished!”

And finish they did -- in 4 hours, 46 minutes.

The Vance team, named "Run Like the Winded," came from the Airman & Family Readiness Center. They were Angel Dominguez, Paul Williamson, Jessica Newton, Melody Pankonin and Linsey Van Ornum.

After six months of training, they entered the marathon’s 5-person relay team event, divided into two 3.1 mile legs, two 6.2 mile legs and one 7.5 mile leg.
Dominguez and Newton ran the 3.1 mile legs, Pankonin and Williamson ran the 6.2 mile legs, and Van Ornum ran the 7.5 mile leg.

“Despite the fact that it rained on us and was very cold, we are happy we did it and had a great time,” said Pankonin.

More than 25,000 runners participated in the 17th running of the marathon, organized in 2001 to honor those killed in the 1995 Alfred P. Murrah Federal Building bombing. Money raised by the marathon goes to operating and maintaining the Oklahoma City National Memorial & Museum.