Andrew Beckman – HKRS Arlington, VA

How many seasons have you been a Community Coordinator?

This is my first season, but my kids have been running in it since 2021 in three different locations and two states!

Tell us about yourself! 

My name is Andrew Beckman, and I am an active-duty Air Force Acquisitions Officer. As an acquisitions officer, I am the program manager for major aircraft, IT, and other major programs within the Air Force. I am currently stationed at the Pentagon in Arlington, VA.

My most important job is husband and Dad. I have been married to my wife Michelle for 11 years and we have three kids—Brooklyn (6), Kennedy (4), and Lincoln (2). Michelle also works for the Air Force, but as a civilian.

I am originally from Minnesota and graduated from the Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs back in 2012. Since then, we have been stationed in California, Ohio, Arizona, Massachusetts, Alabama, and now Washington, DC. I played soccer, wrestling, and tennis in high school and still play soccer and tennis today. I love working out and anything where I can compete—triathlons, kickball, softball, or any other sport. I am also a die-hard Minnesota Vikings fan and have season tickets with my Dad and fly home for 4-5 games a year. 

What inspired you to join HKRS?

My oldest daughter always loved to run, and we thought she was good (probably bias). After googling track and field events near me, I found a HKRS near Boston. We signed her up and she absolutely loved competing and running. Since then, she then did a different series in Boston before we moved to Alabama where there were no races.

What really made me want to join HKRS was how they treated us as individuals. During our move from Boston to Alabama, one box got lost. That box had my daughter’s 1st and 3rd place trophies in there. She was devastated that the trophies she had won were now gone. I got a hold of HQ for HKRS, and they were able to ship us two new trophies to our house in Alabama, free of charge! That wiliness and flexibility made me fall in love with HKRS even more,e and I wanted to give back. 

What is the biggest goal for the local Series as the new Coordinator?

I am taking over for someone who ran the series for 9 years and did a great job. I want to take the series to the next level through more community involvement, marketing, individual age races (instead of combined between two ages like K and 1st) and just show the kids how fun it is to run and compete. 

What makes your community special? 

Arlington, Virginia, is considered special for a multitude of reasons. It’s not just its proximity to the nation’s capital that makes it unique, but a blend of historical significance, vibrant culture, and modern amenities. 

What Race Day moments are you looking forward to the most?

I cannot wait to kick off that first race with the 2-year-olds and see their excitement in their eyes. I am also excited to see how those same kids grow and mature in those 5 short weeks and learn the art of competing, sportsmanship, and running. 

Fun Fact:

I was on five episodes of Family Feud back in 2018. My family and I won $43k. I apply to be on Survivor every year but have not gotten a call back yet. My wife and I were on 3 episodes of Let’s Make a Deal and had a chance to win a car on two separate occasions but lost.

You can find a lot of clips of me on Family Feud by searching “Beckman Family Feud,” but here is one popular clip:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jq3wkZA5d6M&pp=ygUTYmVja21hbiBmYW1pbHkgZmV1ZA%3D%3D