Courtesy Photo | Master Sgt. Michael Wilson, Chief Master Sgt. Rolando Garza, Chief Master Sgt. ...... read more read more
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Running in the military is just a normal aspect of life; you have to do it. Every year, no matter which branch of the military you are in, you have to run a physical fitness test. Running is not only good for your body, but also the mind. And, it helps people bond with others socially.
There are people who run a few miles every day for fun, or to keep in decent shape. Then, there are those who put a team together to run a grueling nearly-200-mile race from Muskegon to Traverse City, Mich. – in a 36 hour span with little to no sleep. That’s what Master Sgt. Michael Wilson, Systems Administrator for the 217th Air Operations Group, Battle Creek, Mich., did this past September. He was recognized for his efforts with the October Guardsman of the Month award for the 110th Attack Wing.
“The event started out as me making a joke about a few of us from base running 196 miles,” said Wilson. “Everyone said it sounded like a great idea and since I suggested it, I got to be the team captain.”
The race that Wilson and his teammates participated in was part of the Ragnar Relay Series, founded by Steve Hill. The series began in 2004 when Steve, his son Dan and Dan’s college roommate organized the first Wasatch Back Relay, spanning 188 miles from Logan to Park City. The Ragnar Relay Series has grown from a single relay in Utah to the largest overnight relay series in the nation.
Wilson’s team consisted of 12 people: Chief Master Sgt. Rolando Garza, Chief Master Sgt. Herbert Ward, Chief Master Sgt. Joel Wilson, Maj. Daniel Guy, Capt. Shawn Hatfield, Master Sgt. Melanie Pomerville, Master Sgt. Devon Lavengood, Tech. Sgt. Jonathan Johnson, Tech. Sgt. George Hartman, Danielle Grubaugh, Jodie Fowler, and himself. They started training about two months in advance to be prepared for the daunting task of running long distances with very little to no sleep at all.
“Once we knew we were going to run this event, I started reaching out to people on base that would be willing to spend 30-plus hours in a van with five other people, just so we could run 196 miles,” said Wilson. “This wasn't your normal organized running event. As a team we finished 80th overall out of 200 plus teams.”
During the relay, one runner would run while the others rested and supported him from a trail vehicle. Each runner would run between 11-24 miles per runner and with very little sleep. The race took place on backroads, sidewalks, road shoulders and even bike paths.
Running a 5k or 10k is challenging enough, but Wilson continues to look for more challenges and continues to crush his goals. He reaches back inside himself to go further – and he takes other airman with him along the way.
“Being part of a team is what the military is all about, there are no individuals,” said Wilson. “Everyone must do their part in order to succeed in the mission. The training and team-building that is done in the Air Force really go hand-in-hand with events like this.”
| Date Taken: | 10.14.2017 |
| Date Posted: | 10.14.2017 15:25 |
| Story ID: | 251710 |
| Location: | MICHIGAN, US |
| Web Views: | 196 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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