JB CHARLESTON, S.C. -- When Machinist's Mate First Class Petty Officer Andrew Burness arrived at the inaugural Joint Base Charleston's Commander's Cup relay race, he was expecting a friendly, two and a half mile run, one leg of a three-man relay race scheduled for seven and a half miles. But, due to a mix-up, his other two teammates didn't show. So, in fine military fashion, he signed himself in as the lone team member, put on his new-fangled Vibram five-fingered running shoes and lined up with the rest of the entrants.

After the first two and a half miles, Burness, an instructor at the Naval Nuclear Power Training Command, was in second place. As the lead runner reached the starting line, he passed his baton to the next runner on their team. Not Burness; with no baton and no one to pass it to, he just kept on running.

"I didn't know what the competition was going to be like on that first lap, so I just kept a steady pace and settled into the run. During the second lap, I just kept up my pace and moved ahead," Burness said.

Five miles into the race Burness passed the starting line again, only this time in first place with his nearest competitor about two minutes behind. Once again, with no baton to pass, Burness kept running.

Less than 45 minutes after starting the race, Burness crossed the finished line, taking the win for the Naval Nuclear Power Training Command.

Burness has been an avid runner since high school. He ran in college for Rowan University and at 30 years-old, logs an average of 60 to 65 miles per week. He came in 117th at the annual Cooper River Bridge Run logging a 5:49 pace.

He recently became a devotee of fingered running shoes, supposedly the next best thing to running barefoot.

"If these get wet, I'll run barefoot before I go back to a standard pair of running shoes," Burness said. "I haven't noticed too much difference in my times, but these shoes just provide a more natural form of running."

Burness also helps coordinate monthly 5K runs onboard JB Charleston Weapons Station. The next race is tentatively scheduled for the end of November. Interested runners should check with Morale, Welfare and Recreation for race announcements.