Check out the stories of four Northrop Grumman athletes pushing the boundaries of their sport.
300 Miles and Counting
By Mario Salguero
It was a chilly, dark Friday morning in late March. Nervous energy charged the air as runners from all walks of life milled about waiting for the 4 a.m. start of The Speed Project 2023 — an anything-goes team relay race that starts in Santa Monica, California, and ends at Nevada’s “Welcome to Las Vegas” sign on Las Vegas Boulevard, 341 miles away.
Patiently waiting just outside the Los Angeles metro area was Northrop Grumman employee Randy Casey. He would be part of the 47 hour and 40-minute charge across California’s Mojave Desert, over the state border, and onto the strip in Las Vegas.
“That morning I was feeling a mixture of emotions,” said Randy. “I was mentally preparing myself to perform well and not let my team down.”
One Step at a Time
Running has been a part of Randy’s life since competing in high school cross country and, later, during his 10 years with the U.S. Navy as a chief petty officer.
“Running became my outlet to relieve the stress of being away from family and loved ones,” said Randy, who joined Northrop Grumman as a director of general manufacturing in Palmdale, California, a year after retiring from the Navy in 2014. "Running gives you the control to determine what works best for you and test your limits."
After returning from his last deployment to the Persian Gulf and North Arabian Sea, Randy was approached by the High Desert Runners, a local running club comprised of people of all backgrounds and walks of life, with the opportunity to join them in running a race unlike any other: The Speed Project.
The goal is straightforward — each relay team is responsible for getting to the “Welcome to Las Vegas“ sign by noon on Sunday — but nothing else about the race is.
