JBER captain PACAF's Athlete of the Year

  • Published
  • By Airman 1st Class Omari Bernard
  • JBER Public Affairs
JOINT BASE ELMENDORF-RICHARDSON, Alaska --  191 of the United State's top female runners toed the line Jan. 14, 2012, to begin a 26.2-mile race. The air was tense as each athlete steeled their nerves and readied themselves for the run they had been training for the past year; the chance to represent their nation as one of the three top spots.

"Runners set!" was blared from an audio speaker and the official starter pulled the trigger. Bang! Surrounded by 190 other women, Air Force Capt. Caroline White, a C-17 Globemaster III pilot and tactics officer with the 517th Airlift Squadron, ran 26.2 miles in pursuit of honor and her dreams of becoming an Olympian.

White won Pacific Air Forces' Female Athlete of the Year for her endeavors at the Olympic Training Center, competing in the 2012 Marathon Olympic Trials, and for being a distinguished graduate of the C-17 initial qualification.

"Running in the trials represented many things to me," White said. "It was a symbol of a tremendous amount of work, the ultimate physical challenge, and it was a sheer honor."
First she had to put in many miles and run countless races to gain endurance, tenacity and the mindset to be capable of toeing the start line with the nation's best female runners.

White spoke of her experience leading up to the trials. "It was a chance to push myself beyond any accomplishment to date. I was honored to compete with the nation's best, and have a chance of representing the Air Force in the Olympic Trials.

"I prepared myself with months and months of hard work," she continued. "My weekly mileage leading up to the trials ranged from 90 to 120 miles."

Many competitive marathoners deal with the stresses of balancing training with part-time or even full-time jobs, but very few, if any, of those athletes have to schedule their runs around flight schedules and deal with jet lag.

"It is really fun to combine my two passions into a daily routine," White said. "When I am home in Alaska, it is a pretty structured schedule; run 10 to 12 miles before reporting, and have an occasional afternoon workout. Often I run from my house to base, which is a fun way of commuting. Running before my duty day is very energizing; it gets me revved up for the day."

As a pilot, White has a global mission that takes her abroad to other continents.
"When I am on the road flying missions around the world, training is more of a challenge," White said. "But also more of an adventure."

In one week, White ran 90 miles in five different countries.

"It can be a bit of a challenge to run in a country where there are no road signs in the English alphabet or no road signs at all," she explained. "But running also gives me a chance to experience different places in a unique and special way."

It also helps with jet lag.

"I can get adjusted to different time zones quicker,"she said.

White receives support and jests from her co-workers in regards to her running.

"I generally try to divert their attention before they see articles about me,"
she said. "If I am unsuccessful there, they usually give me a hard time about it, and then ask for an autograph."

White helps her fellow Airmen, from those who want to meet Air Force fitness standards to those who wish to lower their times.

"When fellow Airmen think running at an elite level is only for a select few and out of reach for them, I like to point out that I did not start running until after I was commissioned," she said. "I developed my running while in the Air Force. It is possible for anyone if they are willing to dedicate themselves."

White has been running for four years. Of the 191 women who ran Olympic Marathon Trials, she finished 34th.

From supporting a global mission to racing, White took great strides to become the title.
"I am honored," said White. "It is fun to share my races, challenges, and experiences with others."

White's athletic accomplishments include competing in the Olympic Trials, the U.S. 10-mile championship, and the 2011 Boston Marathon, in which she ran 2:37 and was the fifth American finisher. She took second place in the 2011 Air Force Marathon, but was the first place military runner. She also won the 2011 U.S. Armed Forces Cross-Country Championship three times.