Charleston pilot competes in 2013 Armed Forces Triathlon Championships

by Tech. Sgt. Shane Ellis
315th Airlift Wing Public Affairs

6/7/2013 - POINT MUGU, Calif.  -- Capt. Jamie Turner, a pilot with the 317th Airlift Squadron, competed in the Armed Forces Triathlon Championship June 1 at Naval Base Ventura County, Calif.

Thanks to Turner's vast experience and numerous accomplishments as a triathlete, she was selected as one of six Airmen to complete at the championship race as a member of the U.S. Air Force women's triathlon team.

During the race, teams from the Air Force, Navy, Army and Marine Corps competed for points. The Navy finished out the day with the most points and took home the gold. The Air Force was a close second with only two points separating the two teams.

"Getting ready for this race was just like any other," said Turner. "My daily lifestyle of fitness allows me to be ready to compete at any time. I'm constantly in training and looking forward to the next race, wherever it may be. My job is to simply stay as fit and injury free as possible. As long as I can do that, the racing part is easy. It's also a lot of fun, too."

The Armed Forces Triathlon Championship is an Olympic distance race, where competitors compete in a 1500-meter swim, 40-kilometer bike, and 10-kilometer run.

A team from Canada's armed forces participated in the event but did not compete for points with the U.S. teams.

Turner represented the Air Force in high fashion and ended the day eighth overall in the women's division. Not bad for an Airmen who just returned from deployment one week prior to the race.