Road races are compatible with the mission of soldiers. If you visit Fort Bragg, you will always find people running — a lot of them. It is not surprising that the Fort Bragg Family and Morale Welfare & Recreation, home of the airborne and special operations, is hosting the 18th Annual Fort Bragg 10-Miler. The event is scheduled for Friday, Nov. 7, at 6:30 a.m. on Longstreet Road, which is adjacent to Hedrick Stadium. The event is open to the general public.

“Historically we conduct the race on a weekday in order to honor soldiers and oftentimes if the soldier participates in the event their command will give them the rest of the day off,” said Steve Johnson, intramural sports director. “We normally get about 2,000 people to take part in the event.”

Johnson added that the goal is to honor soldiers and to provide a challenging event for them.

This event was first initiated in 1996 by the command group as a way to identify the top runners on the installation so they could send teams to the Army 10-Miler in Washington, DC. Since then it has gained a strong following and is a much anticipated event locally in its own right. Most of the race course is relatively level but there is a significant climb just beyond the 1-mile mark and at the 9.6 mile mark for about .3 of a mile.

After the race, awards are presented to the men’s overall champion, women’s overall champion and the top three finishers in each classification. Team competitions are conducted exclusively for active-duty personnel in men’s, women’s and mixed divisions. Pets, bicycles, headphones and rollerblades are not permitted on the course. Participants should report to Hedrick Stadium by 6 a.m. on race day. The 9th Annual Fort Bragg 4-mile Walk for Fun is conducted in conjunction with the Fort Bragg 10-Miler. This is a non-competitive event.

“Fitness and soldiering are interrelated so we do try to do events which challenge their fitness,” said Johnson. “This has been a popular event and we are looking forward to a huge turnout for the race.”

Registration is open now. Entries will be accepted until Nov. 6, for the first 2,500 runners. The entry fee for the week of Nov. 3-6 is $35. Cost for online entry is $25 plus a service charge and the deadline is Oct. 31. Race packets are available for pickup from Nov. 3-5 by 6 p.m. Non-military/government ID card holders must apply for a visitor’s pass to participate. Volunteers are needed to assist with water points and the finish area administration. For more information call 396-1218.

Photo:  The Fort Bragg 10-Miler is a great way to prepare for the Fort Bragg Marathon scheduled later this spring.