One year ago Dallas Henry was doing a physical training run when he saw the Joint Base Lewis-McChord Ten-Miler team training.

"I said, ‘I want to be on that team,'" Henry recalled.

One year later Henry is the JBLM Ten-Miler team captain for the competitive program. He's taking his experience as a collegiate runner and coach to help push the team further than last year's second and third place team finishes at the Army Ten-Miler at Washington, D.C.

"Today's the first day of a winning team coming together," JBLM Team Coordinator Kathy Salcedo announced at the first of three timed trials Saturday.

Just 10 runners showed up for the first timed trial that included a 10-mile run through Lewis Main. But whether Henry and Salcedo were expecting 10 or 100 runners they made sure to provide a perfect race scenario complete with banners, speakers and tents. The trial was different than last year's two laps around Gray Army Airfield (8.6 miles).

The Army Ten-Miler features several hundred teams. The race starts and ends at the Pentagon. Last year the JBLM women's and masters' teams took second and the men's team finished third (just six seconds behind the second place team). Henry ran with the men's team and was also selected as an alternate for the All-Army team.

"Kathy and I share the same vision that this is a great opportunity for a group of Soldiers to represent (JBLM) and great leaders and NCOs that are on this base," Henry said.

Before he joined the Army, the 4th Brigade, 2nd Infantry Division Soldier was an assistant cross country coach at Missouri State University. When he arrived at JBLM last year he became an assistant coach at Gig Harbor High School.

"(Henry) can take the mediocre runner and turn them into something viable," Salcedo said.

Henry was the first to cross the finish line during the first timed trial at just over 58 minutes. While he said he would like to see his time improve by eight minutes come race day in October, he was pleased with the runners who shook off the rust and finished with decent times.

The Ten-Miler team is open to active duty Soldiers. There are two more timed trials May 12 and July 28. Races are at 8 a.m. outside of Cowan Stadium on Lewis Main. Once the trials are complete, team training schedules will be formed and teams will be finalized closer to the race day.