Frontier Freedom 5K/10K draws record participation

More than 180 people participated in the CGSC Foundation’s third annual Frontier Freedom 5K/10K Run/Walk on Fort Leavenworth on Oct. 13, 2024. As in each previous year, the race started and finished in the loop of the Frontier Army Museum, but this year the event included both a 5K and a 10K race. In the 5K race, Roj Abdi from Fort Leavenworth, Kansas, won the top overall male prize with a time of 20:08. Lisa Jewell from Shawnee, Kansas, took the top female finish in the 5K with a time of 21:49. In the 10K race, Zach Valentine from Avon Lake, Ohio, seized the top place overall and first in the men’s division with a time of 39:44. Amanda Dopson from Overland Park, Kansas, took the top female prize in the 10K with a time of 48:04. She finished in 10th place overall.

The race wound through the streets of Fort Leavenworth, along the bluffs overlooking the Missouri River, past many of the historic homes and buildings of Fort Leavenworth, and back to the museum. The 10K race route included a loop inside the old U.S. Disciplinary Barracks and continued on the road toward the new confinement facility to a turn around point. The 10K route drew many a comment about the challenge of the hills along the way.

The race participants hailed from 15 different states and included some family groups pushing strollers and others running with their dogs. The Foundation designed the Frontier Freedom 5K/10K as a family-oriented event so participants can be serious competitors or just out for a fun time with family and friends getting some exercise.

“As always, we want to thank our sponsors for helping make this event possible,” said CGSC Foundation President/CEO Lora Morgan. “We set the bar even higher this year with more than 200 registrations. This is a great event that draws participation both from on-post and the greater Kansas City area.”

Morgan added that the annual race has helped build awareness for not only the Command and General Staff College Foundation, but also for the U.S. Army Command and General Staff College and Fort Leavenworth. The museum was open throughout the event to welcome the runners and their families and provide them an opportunity to learn about the rich history of Fort Leavenworth. Finally, Morgan thanked all the volunteers who helped make the race a success, especially Ralph Erwin and Tom Gray, both former instructors at the U.S. Army Command and General Staff College.

Funds raised from the Frontier Freedom 5K/10K will support the education and welfare of U.S. and international students, staff and faculty at the U.S. Army Command and General Staff College.

For full results of the race, visit https://runsignup.com/FrontierFreedom (click on the “Results” menu item).

Visit the CGSC Foundation Flickr album for more photos:

Pre-race and race photos

Photos of division winners