More than 170 Sailors and Marines ran in a St. Patrick's Day-themed marathon aboard Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS Theodore Roosevelt (TR) (CVN 71) March 13-17.

The ship's Morale, Welfare and Recreation (MWR) team coordinated the Shamrock 8K, Half and Full Marathon shadow runs for Sailors who wanted to race in this year's Shamrock Run held in Virginia Beach, Virginia, March 20-22, but couldn't due to the deployment.

"Some of the officers onboard who had done the run overseas came up with the idea of setting up the run onboard the ship," said TR's Fitboss Nathan Owen, from Virginia Beach. "Two hundred race packets were made available to the ship for Sailors and Marines to compete in the race."

Sailors with various levels of running experience competed in the race.

"I decided to compete in the Shamrock Run with some of my fellow chiefs and officers because I thought it would be fun," said Chief Fire Controlman Lee Smith. "I have run the Shamrock Race the past few years and convinced the others I ran with to run it as well."

Owen said when TR Sailors saw their shipmates running they were motivated to hop on the treadmill and give it their all.

The event spanned four days to ensure Sailors could join in the experience. MWR representatives documented the racers' times and sent those in to the Shamrock Run officials. Those officials will compare Sailors' times with those of fellow participants in the Virginia Beach Shamrock Run.

"With the times being compared to the actual run held in Virginia Beach, this allows our Sailors to see where they would have matched up if they would have run in the event," said Owen. "Along with that, we will be recognizing the top achievers right here on the ship."

MWR staff held the grand finale of this year's Shamrock run March 17, with the monstrous task of completing a 26.2-mile marathon while on the rocky seas.

Join the conversation with TR online at www.facebook.com/USSTheodoreRoosevelt and www.Twitter.com/TheRealCVN71.

For more news from USS Theodore Roosevelt (CVN 71), visit www.navy.mil/.