MARINE CORPS AIR STATION IWAKUNI, Japan -- Station residents can show their aquatic capabilities throughout the weeks leading to the Marine Corps Birthday with the Marine Corps Birthday Swim, taking place at the IronWorks Gym indoor pool here.
IronWorks Gym aquatics department encourages station residents to participate in the birthday swim not only to celebrate the birthday of the Marine Corps, but also to promote a healthy means of exercise by setting personal goals.
“The Birthday Swim isn't a competition or race, it's to get people in the pool,” said Stephanie Brown, Marine Corps Community Service aquatics manager. “They do one lap for every year. So, this year, it's 238 laps. They have exactly one month to complete it, (Oct. 10-Nov. 10) and the first 25 participants to complete the laps receive a t-shirt.”
The event originated at Marine Corps Air Station Cherry Point, N.C., but was brought to Iwakuni in 2008 by Brown and is now an annual event.
“I was looking for an event that was free for our customers, but encouraged people to come to the pool and exercise in a zero-impact environment,” said Brown.
Among the first finishers is Samantha Johnston, 9, who finished her 238th lap Oct. 25, 2013.
“My best friend moved away not too long ago,” said Johnston. “I swam a lot for her and because I really like swimming. Even though I’m done, I’m still going to keep swimming.”
According to Molly Johnston, Samantha’s mother, Samantha swims about every other day and she started the process Oct. 12. She would swim 25 laps at a time except for one day when she felt like swimming 38.
“I swam with her once,” said Molly. “We did 14 laps and I was ready to go, but she kept swimming. I don’t know where she gets the energy from, but she gets the job done.”
When swimming, there is not a preferred method, or particular stroke participants must use.
“We had one guy complete it all in one day, but for other people, it takes about two weeks, it just depends on schedules. To stay on a steady pace and complete the laps by the cutoff point, you have to swim eight laps a day at a minimum for a month, but people can swim as much as they want at a time.”
Individual’s track and record laps by the honor system.
“Swimmers record the date and number of laps completed each time they come in and get the lifeguard or myself to sign the sheet,” said Brown.
The aquatics personnel advise residents to begin swimming as soon as possible so they can finish the challenge in allotted time.