MONTEREY, Calif. – For most students at the Defense Language Institute Foreign Language Center (DLIFLC) simply learning another language in a short period of time is challenge enough, very few seek to take on additional challenges during this strenuous course.
 
However, there are exceptions for the Sailors at Information Warfare Training Command Monterey, some of whom have added the thrill of distance running to their precious weekend downtime.
 
These student-led Saturday runs came into being during the COVID-19 pandemic as a way for Sailors to get outside, spend time together while maintaining social distancing guidelines, all while embracing a challenge. For some, joining the run group has improved mental resiliency, for others it has improved their PRT (physical readiness test) run times. The routes and meeting locations may vary, but the camaraderie and team-building has remained a constant.
 
The Saturday runs were started by a student, Seaman Lily Moy, who has since graduated from DLIFLC and moved on. As Moy prepared to leave, fellow student, Seaman Anthony Josie, took the reins and carried on what has become an IWTC Monterey tradition. Now as he prepares to graduate and move on himself, he offered some of reasons why he and others initially joined and decided to continue the run group.
 
“Personally, I really don’t like running on a treadmill or on a track,” said Josie. “The change of scenery from one place to another makes a big difference. The area around Monterey offers many different and distinct terrains along the coast and into hills that inspire and motivate service members outside the four walls of the barracks or classroom.”
 
Josie feels there are many benefits to running through the distinctive Monterey scenery for hard-working military students.
 
“[There are] the known the benefits of exercising in general, and of running in particular,” said Josie. “But, I think it is also a very helpful way to relieve some of that (school) stress on top of military obligations that wears on people. At the same time, you don't feel like you're wasting time; you're still putting in work.”
 
For some, Josie said, the reward that draws them out week after week is the traditional breakfast after the run, however he feels there is also the reward of knowing you’re doing something for its own merit.
 
Do the routes always go as planned? Not always. On at least one occasion the group “enjoyed” an unexpected 16.5 mile run as they tackled “the spiderweb of trails” on nearby Fort Ord. Josie laughed as he recalled that particular outing and said, “It’s definitely a good way to learn the area.”
 
In addition serving as Saturday run coordinator, Josie excelled academically at DLI and recently graduated with honors as Commandant Award winner. He has now passed the torch to the next student leader of the Saturday Run group, Seaman Callista Smydra, who will continue the tradition of challenging runs, engaging fellowship, and of course, breakfast.
 
IWTC Monterey is one of the Center for Information Warfare Training’s four schoolhouse commands, two detachments, and training sites throughout the United States and Japan. CIWT trains over 26,000 students every year, delivering trained information warfare professionals to the Navy and joint services. Center for Information Warfare Training also offers more than 200 courses for cryptologic technicians, intelligence specialists, information systems technicians, electronics technicians, and officers in the information warfare community.