Running Away from the Competition

Photo By Sgt. James Geelen | Sgt. James Geelen, public affairs sergeant, Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 4th Special Troops Battalion, 4th Sustainment Brigade, 4th Infantry Division walks around his neighborhood with his 3 year old, Great Dane, Loki, while competing in the Ghost Rider 100 Mile Challenge during the month of April. Geelen finished the competition in second place with 400.5 miles traveled. (Photo courtesy of Sgt. James Geelen)  

FORT CARSON, CO, UNITED STATES

06.12.2020

Story by Sgt. James Geelen 

4th Infantry Division Sustainment Brigade

FORT CARSON, Colorado. –How do you help build comradery during this time of social distancing, self-isolation and quarantining? This has become the challenge for leaders in today’s Army while still protecting the Soldiers from COVID-19.
Capt. Jonathan Hatch, commander, Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 4th Special Troops Battalion, 4th Sustainment Brigade, 4th Infantry Division created a physical competition he called The Ghost Rider 100 Mile Challenge. Participants were asked to run, ruck or walk 100 miles during the month of April using an app that will track the 30 day progress.
“I’m very happy with the effort my Soldiers put into this competition,” Hatch said. “62 Soldiers competed, and they traveled 3,787 miles as a group. It wasn’t just the lower enlisted Soldiers either. Maj. (Robert) Clarke, was the oldest person at 47 and he reached the 100 mile mark, and so did Command Sgt. Maj. (Phelicea) Redd.”
The ‘Ghost Rider’ Soldiers enjoyed the chance to compete with each other.
“I thought this was a great way to build bonds of friendship with my fellow Soldiers,” said 1st Lt. Tyler Ayres, executive officer, HHC, 4STB, 4SB, 4th Inf. Div. “I would like to see this become a battalion wide challenge so more Soldiers could participate.”
This challenge did not authorize Soldiers to go outside of the 30 mile radius or if isolated, leave isolation. Soldiers needed to abide by all the recent policy changes and guidelines.
“I achieved most of my miles by running and walking around base, enjoying the scenery of Fort Carson,” said Pfc. Nicholas Ramsey, religious affairs specialist, HHC, 4STB, 4SB, 4th Inf. Div. and the overall winner. “I thought at first 100 miles is a lot, but as I started to knock the miles out, I got better day by day. Then I started to build more confidence to where I thought, why stop at 100 miles? Why not ‘go the extra mile’? Or who said we had to stop when we reached 100 miles? So I pushed myself and finished with 415 miles.”
Nineteen Soldiers completed the task of running or walking 100 miles in 30 days, with three Soldiers doubling the requirement and two Soldiers traveled over 400 miles.
“I pushed myself to go further than I normally would have gone,” Ayres said. “I finished with 238.5 miles and placed third overall. I can’t believe that Ramsey finished with over 400 miles.”
This challenge helped the Soldiers to find their limits and then push through them.
“This challenge taught me that if you’re passionate about something, the determination inside you will over power the doubt that is trying to bring you down,” Ramsey said. “I had to find the confidence within myself that I can do this. I can exceed 100 miles if I’m determined. I will continue to keep pushing myself even now that the challenge is over.”


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• Date Taken: 06.12.2020
• Date Posted: 06.16.2020 16:35
• Story ID: 372166
• Location: FORT CARSON, CO, US
• Hometown: COLORADO SPRINGS, CO, US
• Hometown: MANSFIELD, PA, US