Nebraska National Guard Marathon Team takes 9th place in 38th annual Lincoln National Guard Marathon

Photo By Staff Sgt. Mary Thach | The Nebraska National Guard set an aid station for marathon runners at mile 13 during the 39th annual Lincoln National Guard Marathon May 3, in Lincoln, Neb. The station supplied glasses of water, ice and Gatorade, Gu energy gel, orange slices and Vaseline to help ease marathon runners' discomfort during the second half of the race.  

LINCOLN, NE, UNITED STATES

05.03.2015

Story by Staff Sgt. Mary Thach 

155th Air Refueling Wing, Nebraska Air National Guard

LINCOLN, Neb. – Twelve-thousand-five-hundred runners hit the pavement of downtown Lincoln, Nebraska, on a humid May morning to compete in the 38th annual Lincoln National Guard Marathon, May 3, 2015. First time runners and veterans alike joined together to endure the strenuous 26.2 miles on a warm, breezy spring morning. Of those who came out to run, were 175 members of the Air and Army National Guard, representing 44 states and two territories, including four members of the Nebraska National Guard marathon team.

The Lincoln National Guard Marathon is what determines if a guardsman qualifies for the All-Guard marathon team, a team of devoted runners who travel throughout the country to participate in races of varying lengths to represent the National Guard, often a tool used as a recruiting and retention tool.

The Nebraska National Guard marathon team consisted of four Army National Guard personnel, Spc. Ryan Linder, of Kearney, Nebraska, Sgt. 1st Class Andrew Yates, of Lincoln, Nebraska, Capt. Robb Campbell, of Papillion, Nebraska, team captain, and 1st Lt. Travis Kirchner, of Omaha, Nebraska. Together, this team of runners took ninth place out of the participating Guard teams, with an average time of 3 hours 20 minutes.

Every runner has a story to tell. Each person who commits to training for a marathon fights their own battles, whether it is an injury, finding time or motivation to train, bad weather making training dangerous, or personal conflicts.
Those that chose to wake up at 4 a.m., to sign up for this marathon four months ago, each have their own reasons why they chose to commit to the grueling training and show up to represent the National Guard, rain or shine.

In order to qualify for the Nebraska Guard Marathon team, participants must run a marathon 18 months prior to the Lincoln Marathon. Men under the age of 40 must run in four hours or less with a mile pace of 9:09. Men’s Masters Division, age 40 and over must run in 4 hours, 15 minutes, with an average mile pace of 9 minutes 43 seconds. Women of all ages must complete the marathon in 4 hours 30 seconds, with a mile average of 10 minutes, 31 seconds.
The youngest member of the Nebraska marathon team, Linder, started running nearly nine years ago, while he was still attending middle school. Coming from a family who values running and physical fitness, it took little thought to continue his running regimen and contact the Nebraska team coordinator for details on qualifying for the team. Linder ran the marathon in 3:32:53. Being his second year on the team, he said he feels like the team is bonding and developing together.

Linder said running is a part of his life that he would not give up because it helps him sort through his thoughts, unwind after a long day, and help him juggle between homework, college classes and work.

“I love wearing that jersey that one day of the year because everyone says ‘congratulations’ and ‘go Guard’,” said Linder. “I like that aspect of it, there are so many people in the Guard and in this day and year, you really are one of the few. I like representing Nebraska and the National Guard.”

The newest member of the team, Yates, started running when he was a child and said he has been involved in athletics his entire life. He qualified to be a part of the marathon team in 2014, and ran his first marathon as part of the Nebraska National Guard team this year, with a time of 3:29:23. Yates said his interest in marathon running did not pique until a few years ago.

“I really didn’t get started with marathon running or any distance running past 10K until about three to four years ago,” said Yates. “There was no real reason why I got started, just a new challenge. I thought it would be interesting, as I get older. I started to notice my 10K and 5K times were starting to slow down, so I thought I could still be competitive as an old guy.”

At age 33, and being in the guard for 16 years, Yates said it means a lot for him to represent the National Guard at this point in his career.

“It really means a lot to represent the service that I have spent so much time in and truly love, and to be placed in a higher category within the military, being able to represent my unit and the state of Nebraska.”

Yates said his motivation to keep running is for his family and from his competitive nature.

“I run for my family and myself, too,” said Yates. “I am really internally driven to run but I think about my kids and wanting to be in shape so I live a long life for them. A lot of it is just the competitive spirit that I have. I always have to try to win, so that’s a big part for me too."

“When I am running the longer distances, I try to find someone ahead of me, and catch them, or at least not let people behind me pass me,” added Yates. “That is what motivates me. It’s the little things towards the end, when you are really tired that help.”

Capt. Robb Campbell, the Nebraska National Guard team captain, is the veteran runner of the Nebraska Guard Marathon team. He has participated in most Lincoln National Guard marathons since 1999. Running the marathon in 3:16:37, with an average mile of 7:31, Campbell placed 5th for the Master’s division. His finishing time allowed him to qualify for the All-Guard Marathon team, placing second fastest of the 40 males selected for the team. After being in the National Guard for more than 20 years, Campbell said being a part of the marathon team is what has kept him in the military past his 20 years of service.

“Making the All-Guard team is really awesome and special because you get to travel to other parts of the country and run races around the country to represent the National Guard and your state,” said Campbell. “This is a very good program and I am really glad that the National Guard has this program. It’s good for morale as well as recruiting tool. This is what has kept me in past 20 years.”

Marathon training can be draining, and injuries often occur if an individual trains too hard, too fast. Campbell said there have been times where he has lost motivation to keep running, but quickly regains his drive.

“There have been times over the years that I have been not as motivated, and was losing interest, but I would attend drill and I hear people saying good things about me, ‘there’s Capt. Campbell, he’s a running machine’,” said Campbell. “Then I think, ‘Wow, I’ve got to keep my reputation going.’ It’s time like that that I get motivated."

“I have a lot of pride and honor, to be a member not only of the Nebraska Guard, but the National Guard, to represent my country,” added Campbell. “I take a lot of pride in it.”

First Lt. Travis Kirchner, a member of the Nebraska Marathon team for the second year in a row, recently participated in the Boston Marathon, April 20. This was Kirchner’s first Boston marathon he has participated in, and said it was harder than he thought it would be, but the experience itself was worth it.

Having less than two weeks to recover from one marathon, Kirchner said he was apprehensive about running the Lincoln marathon, unsure if he had given his body enough time to recover. Several days after the Boston marathon, he said he felt fairly well and went on a few shorter runs, helping him regain confidence that he could, in fact run the Lincoln marathon. After the race, however, he explained how much of a toll running a marathon, or two, can take on one’s body.

“I definitely feel like I ran two races in two weeks, my body wasn’t quite ready for Lincoln’s race,” said Kirchner.

Despite feeling weak after running two marathons in two weeks, Kirchner ran his Lincoln marathon in 3:17:43, qualifying for the All-Guard Marathon team his second year in a row.

Kirchner said marathon running is a physical and mental game. If you start listening to your thoughts about wanting to quit, your body will begin to believe your mind. The battle is whether or not you listen to your mind or your body.

“It usually starts mentally at mile 18. My thoughts take over my physical body,” said Kirchner. “Once you break down mentally, your mind tells you that you want to walk, stop, take a break, then your body starts listening to that and you have that mental battle, ‘Do I continue or do I stop and walk?'"

“Once I hit that mental wall, I try to set little goals for distance,” said Kirchner. “I set small goals I can reach in three to four minutes. Those small goals keep me going.”

The Nebraska National Guard Marathon team, being the host state, is looking to recruit more runners to build upon their team. If interested in running for the Nebraska National Guard marathon team, please contact Nebraska team coordinator, Army Sgt. 1st Class Tarissa Batenhorst. She may be reached via email: [e-mail], cell: 402-326-6351, or office: 402-309-8157.

• Date Taken: 05.03.2015
• Date Posted: 05.27.2015 15:18
• Story ID: 164699
• Location: LINCOLN, NE, US
• Hometown: KEARNEY, NE, US
• Hometown: LINCOLN, NE, US
• Hometown: OMAHA, NE, US
• Hometown: PAPILLION, NE, US