FAIRCHILD AIR FORCE BASE, Wash. – Fairchild Air Force Base’s last running clinic for the year starts Oct. 18, 2021.

The eight-week clinic is run three days a week and led by William Saultes, Fairchild Air Force Base health promotion coordinator, with the help of volunteer coaches. Saultes designed the program to help Airman improve their run time for their physical fitness test.

“During the eight-week program you will be provided with weekly programming personalized to your ability level,” said Saultes. “Not everyone starts at the same level and we want to help them improve and show them that they can improve.”

At the beginning of the program, each individual is pre-tested for their current ability level and split up into groups with similar abilities. Run clinic members meet at the fitness center to go over the run plans for the day before moving to the outdoor track, or the football field to begin warmups and stretches. Each run day uses a holistic approach to better health overall.

“We want to provide the tools to Airmen to take ownership of their own health and wellness,” said Saultes. “The program is focusing on positive mind sets and eliminates the concept of: ‘I can’t do this.’”

Along with quality coaching, runners say they enjoy the camaraderie found between all ranks in attendance, and that they can run more comfortably and improve faster.

“Being able to run with other people in the same boat and motivate each other helps our members immensely,” Said a member of the run clinic. “Having people you are with who are all having the same struggles takes the stress and anxiety out of having to push yourself to extremes to fit in.”