Forty seven years later….

I spend most of my training time on Fort Jackson.  It’s a great place to bike, and if you are really creative you can get fifty miles in without a whole lot of doubling back.  It is always inspirational to be on a long ride and pass the troops training with the jousting poles, or on the rifle range, or getting way out in the back of the fort and hearing the artillery fire and watching the tank range.

There is also a pretty inspirational hill, where the new recruits are sent to run for discipline or fun.  From the bottom of Tank Hill to Hilton Field is a mile and a half in one direction, so running it as a loop is three miles.  A full mile of that is sustained and fairly difficult hill.  Of course, this is also where many of the barracks are located, just to provide easy access to the hill.

Forty seven years ago, in June of 1960, my father finished basic training at Fort Jackson.  He came to the base unable to run this hill; by the time he had finished in June, Tank Hill posed no problem.  It is a very visual reminder that, with effort and determination, anything, no matter how impossible it may seem, can be achieved.

Even forty seven years later.  3 Miles of Tank Hill in 48 minutes.  Proud of you Dad!