Released by the Naval Air Warfare Center Weapons Division China Lake Public Affairs Office--

By Julie Burt Smith

With a time of 03:58:53, Patrick Smith, an aerospace engineer in the Naval Air Warfare Center Weapons Division’s Engineer and Scientist Development Program (ESDP), ran his first marathon – the Los Angeles Marathon – on Sunday, March 6. Of the 18 runners registered from Ridgecrest, Smith finished first.

Steve Ortiz, another China Lake ESDP computer scientist and Smith’s training partner, came in at 04:00:12. This was his second marathon.

Smith started running with Ortiz on his second day in Ridgecrest. “When Steve told me that he had run the Houston marathon, I remember thinking how crazy it was that anyone would do that to themselves,” said Smith. On that June morning run, Smith had no idea that he’d be where he is today, weighing 40 pounds less and finishing the 26.2-mile 20th Anniversary of the L.A. Marathon in under four hours.

During their training, the two have enjoyed their runs in Ridgecrest’s scenic Rademacher Hills. “It has been a lot of fun and has saved us some injuries,” Ortiz said. “Running on dirt has been easier than running on pavement.” Smith and Ortiz have also competed in a few Over the Hill Track Club runs, including the most recent Me and My Dawg 5k, where Smith took first place overall male runner with his dog Ellie Bean.

In late July, the two may continue running in the pack at the San Francisco marathon.

Other China Lake employees who finished the LA Marathon were: Morton, Charles NAWCWD (ESDP) 04:35:26; Furnish, James K CONT (NAVAIR) 04:37:28; Hutchinson, Clifton H LT (NAWCWD) 04:45:18; Lander, James 04:50:04; Lewellen, Larry S. 04:56:19; Brown, Debbie - NAWCWD 04:56:50; Davis, Curtis – NAWCWD 04:57:09; Rios, Chris- NAWCWD 05:14:28; Price, Dan- NAWCWD 05:26:49; Wolfe, Carol- NAWCWD 05:26:56; McCormick, Traci - NAWCWD 05:30:53; Frank Wu - NAWCWD 07:06:04.

Photo cutline: Two ESDP China Lake employees (left to right), Steve Ortiz and Patrick Smith, pause for a quick photo at the 20th Anniversary Los Angeles Marathon, Sunday, March 6.
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