GI'S ENTERTAINING THEMSELVES

Good for ya, guys.

Troops came from as far away as Kuwait to tackle the “Terror de Tikrit,” also known as “The World’s Most Dangerous 10k Poker Run.”

They ran for prizes of knives and gift certificates. They collected cards along the route to use in a poker match afterward, vying for a trip to Las Vegas. The event was sponsored by Runner’s World magazine, Surefire, Pepsi, CamelBak and Stars and Stripes.

Though Tikrit, Saddam Hussein’s hometown, is reputed to be dangerous, the huge soggy frontier surrounding Speicher made it an ideal place for a rugged 10k...

You could hear a hankering for home in their voices. One woman who won a prize told the crowd her unit was headed back in a week. The crowd booed; she smiled.

Arey wished them all good luck, regardless of rotation date.

“Thanks to everybody, had a great time,” he said. “And hopefully, we don’t see you next year.”