Photo By Sgt. Beyonka Joseph | Army National Guard Soldier Staff Sgt. Troy Harrison of Pennsylvania, dashes across...... read more read more
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NEW ORLEANS – Breezy winds and nippy temperatures did not stop the members of the National Guard's "All-Guard Marathon Team" and 7,500 other runners from sprinting through the streets of New Orleans during the 45th annual Mardi Gras Marathon, Feb. 1.
"I am so delighted to have the National Guard here in the Crescent city participating in such a significant event," said race director Mike Cambre. "To see accomplished athletes like the All-Guard team means a lot to me and gets me choked up every year."
"The Guard is someone we all look up to and seeing them run makes this race so much more meaningful," said the New Orleans native.
The All-Guard marathon team consists of 40 male and 15 female competitors from both the Army and Air National Guard from all over the U.S, including Alaska, Hawaii and Puerto Rico. They participate in marathons throughout the 50 states, such as, the Boston, Seafair, and the America's Finest City Half Marathon in San Diego, Calif. The team also participates in the Lincoln National Guard Marathon, which is the top requirement in selection as a member of the All-Guard team.
One of the main focuses of the team is to serve as a platform for promoting the National Guard in a way that enhances and increases its strengths. These elite athletes work closely with the Guard's Recruiting and Retention Force at both the local and national levels, instilling physical fitness, self discipline, and camaraderie among Guard members from across America.
"What makes our program so unique is that we have Guardsmen with all different backgrounds and it's a mixture of two branches of service running together," explained Staff Sgt. Michael Hagen, coordinator for the National Guard Marathon Program. "Because our team is a recruiting and retention focused program, we are able to enjoy doing something we love while promoting the National Guard at the same time."
"It's very fulfilling as an non-commissioned officer to know that you're making an impact on someone like a private or specialist coming up through the ranks, modeling them to be in the same position you're in," he added.
Over 28 members from the All-Guard marathon team showcased their fitness levels in a series of races, including the 5-mile, 13-mile, 26-mile, and relay competitions. The scenic route started and finished at Superdome and highlighted the French Quarters, the Garden District, Audubon Park and City Park.
"This experience here in New Orleans has been great," explained Staff Sgt. Troy Harrison of the 166th Training Regiment, 2nd Battalion. "These events are part of the reason that I decided to stay in the Guard.
Harrison who participated in the half marathon, finished seventh among the male competitors and first on the All-Guard team with a time of one hour 10 seconds. Harrison found out about the team through a friend on the Pennsylvania state team eight years ago and has been competing ever since.
For the Pennsylvanian, his recent accomplishment of being accepted on the World Class Athletic Program shows how his hard work and dedication has paid off.
"Being on the all-Guard team has opened so many doors for me and I never dreamed that I would even be fast enough to make it on the World Class Program," the marathoner said while sporting a huge smile.
"I have been giving the opportunity of a life time and this is just another way that I can represent the National Guard."
For more information or to join the All-Guard Marathon Team, visit www.virtualarmory.com.
| Date Taken: | 02.01.2009 |
| Date Posted: | 02.17.2009 13:22 |
| Story ID: | 30123 |
| Location: | NEW ORLEANS, LA, US |
| Web Views: | 195 |
| Downloads: | 155 |
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