MANAS AIR BASE, KYRGYZSTAN -- One of the first things KC-135 Stratotanker pilots 1st Lts. Craig and Catherine Christ packed when coming here were their running shoes. The second was their stationary bikes.

While not everyone thinks of such things, the Christs knew from past experience - this is their third deployment to Manas Air Base, Kyrgyz Republic in the past two years - that they would have a chance to take their physical fitness training to another level.

The lieutenants, who are deployed here from the 93rd Aerial Refueling Squadron at Fairchild AFB, Wash., started with their first marathon for cancer research in 2005. They didn't finish in a record time, but they did succeed in getting hooked on the competition and training. Since then they've competed in four marathons.

Now they have their sights set on a larger challenge, an Ironman - a 2.4-mile swim, followed by 112 mile bike ride, and then finally a 26.2 mile run.

"We're training for our first Ironman," said Lieutenant Catherine Christ. "We will be competing at the Ironman Coeur d'Alene, in Idaho June 22."

The tougher challenge meant running shoes alone wouldn't cut it...enter the stationary bikes. As veterans of the 22nd Expeditionary Air Refueling Squadron they were familiar with the base. This mean they knew they could ship - and use - their stationary bikes.

"It was nice because we knew exactly where we were going, the equipment that is available and the room size we would be working with," Lieutenant Craig Christ said. "Without that [knowledge] we wouldn't be able to bring our triathlon bikes and get the necessary training."

They either bike in their rooms or set them up outside in order to train together. The lieutenants average about 25 hours a week in the sky and 13 hours on the ground training--either biking or running.

"Training while deployed is a lot easier than back home," he said. "There aren't as many distractions here because back home [where] our jobs usually consist of a lot of office work in addition to flying. Here, once you are done flying, you're done for the day, and you have the rest of the day to train."

But there are still challenges with having the peak of their training out here.

"We can't do our swimming here," said Lieutenant Craig Christ, "So instead we do a lot of core training such as the row machine and toning with light weights."

When the couple returns home, they will have about a month to adjust their training to fit in the exercises they were unable to accomplish while deployed. Until then, their average training session consists of three to four hours of biking and running.

"We wake up about four to five hours before our flights, and we train for about two or three hours, usually riding our bikes and then running on the trails around base," he said.

After the flights, the couple tries to relax and get ready to do it all over again the next day said Lieutenant Catherine Christ. They also take time to share stories or give others advice.

At the top of their list of advice is that anyone can do it.

"It is a gradual program--you start out with short, less intense workouts and slowly build up to where you need to be," said Lieutenant Craig Christ. "You can start from anywhere--I was never a runner in high school.

"If you have the discipline and drive, you can make anything possible--any one can do it!"
Just be sure to bring your stationary bike.