Family fun takes centre stage at 2024 Navy Run
[caption id="attachment_35323" align="aligncenter" width="595"] Lieutenant (Navy) Brian Grant along with his spouse Lieutenant Mireille Grant and their children Henry and Hector all competed in the 2024 Annual Navy Run. Photos: Sergeant Malcolm Byers, MARPAC Imaging Services.[/caption] Peter Mallett, Staff Writer — The 18th edition of one of the most anticipated events on the CFB Esquimalt social calendar started on June 22 with the traditional starting blast of an army howitzer at the Naden Gates.Runners of all ages and experience levels, and even entire families, had cause for celebration at the finish line of this year’s Navy Run. This year’s run included 5 and 10 km races and a Kids Fun Run on the track at the Naden Athletic Centre.More than one military family from Esquimalt has made taking part in the Navy Run a long-standing family tradition. Among the 550 military and civilian participants was the family of Sub-Lieutenant (SLt) Jacob Russell of HMCS Venture.“We have three generations here today because it is one of the best runs in Victoria for a family,” said SLt Russell. “It’s such a great family-friendly event to be involved in: there are no huge crowds and we get an excellent support from the race staff.”SLt Russell finished the 5km course in 22nd place in a field of 161 runners, finishing with a time of 22:52. His wife, Sailor 1st Class (S1) Laura Russell of Base Logistics (BLOG), is also a regular participant in the Navy Run; she plans on returning to the race next year as she just delivered their daughter Zoë.S1 Russell’s father, Major (ret’d) Robert Henry, walked the race with his three-year-old granddaughter Joni Russell, who participated in the Kids Fun Run earlier in the day. As his granddaughter refueled in her stroller with a bag of potato chips, Henry reflected on nearly two decades of family tradition at the Navy Run.“I started doing the race years ago when I was working for MARPAC and Naval Fleet School, and then Jacob got involved and the family began doing the race together,” said Henry. “It’s become a real tradition for us.”Henry’s son Jeffrey of the Naval Experience Program (NEP) also ran in the race.Another participating family was of Lieutenant (Lt) Mireille Grant of Air Component Coordination Element (Pacific). She began participating in the Navy Run 15 years ago.“The Navy Run brings us closer together,” she said....