AUSTIN, Texas – The Statesman Cap 10K is one of Austin’s most iconic traditions.
This year, some firefighters are taking it to the next level, running the entire race in full gear.
What they’re saying:
“What is more Austin than this race?” Texas Public Safety Commission past president Corby Jastrow said.
For many firefighters, it is now a test of strength, endurance, and just how far they are willing to push themselves.
Four years ago, one Austin firefighter had an idea: how to make the race mean even more.
“Let’s make it a little bit more special and represent the department. So I was, like, why not run it in bunker gear?” Austin Fire Department fire specialist Eric Muyldermans said.
It started with just five runners. Now, dozens of firefighters lace up, suited in the same gear they wear on the job.
“Last year, we actually had 50 people from all different ranks,” Muyldermans said.
This year, they have the support to keep it going. The Central Texas Public Safety Commission is covering the costs for firefighters to take part.
“For us, our organization and supporting our Central Texas First Responders, it’s important obviously for us to advocate for our men and women in uniform,” Jastrow said.
This isn’t just a run. It is 6.2 miles while carrying an extra 60 to 70 pounds.
“The gear alone, pants and coats will add about 30 pounds and then the guys that run with an extra air pack, they will add an additional 30 to 35,” Muyldermans said.
It’s not just the weight either, it’s the heat.
“I like to compare it as like an oven mitt, but it’s an oven mitt that covers your whole body, so there’s no way for the heat to dissipate, so you start sweating a lot more,” Muyldermans said.
Still, they keep going.
“What are you thinking is left, right, left, right, one step at a time,” Muydlermans said.
For these firefighters, the challenge is the point.
“How comfortable are you being uncomfortable?” Muyldermans said.
They have their fellow firefighters by their side though.
“Events like this just strengthen that bond between us. Being able to suffer together, to go through similar things, strengthens the bond that you can laugh about, joke about, talk about later is like, why did we do this?” Muyldermans said.
He said it’s also a way to bridge the gap between first responders and the community they serve.
“From the first year, we had so many people running alongside us, like, oh, this is so cool and started to ask us questions and basically giving us praise, but also just talking to us and realizing we’re not just first responders, we’re actual people as well and it’s like oh this is my neighbor, this could be my uncle or my dad or my mother or my sister,” Muyldermans said.
What’s next:
The race is set for Sunday, April 12.
For more information on the race itself or to register, click here.
The Source: Information in this report comes from reporting/interviews by FOX 7 Austin’s Meredith Aldis.