Photo By Staff Sgt. Thomas Moeger | U.S. Army Spc. Ana Crangle, a supply specialist with Headquarters and Headquarters...... read more read more
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CAMP RIPLEY, Minn. — While many 21-year-olds celebrate their birthday with cake, candles, or a night out with friends, Spc. Ana Crangle, a supply specialist with Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 1st Battalion, 145th Armored Regiment, celebrated hers by setting a personal milestone — running 21 miles straight during annual training with the Ohio Army National Guard at Camp Ripley, Minn., July 26, 2025.
The run stretched well beyond anything she had ever done before.
Crangle, an experienced runner, had previously only run up to 16 miles at one time. She said the idea came from a personal goal to challenge herself and mark the milestone in a meaningful way.
“I was running my long run the week before and I was like, you know, why don’t I just combine a whole bunch of miles into one day and do a little celebration,” Crangle said. “I can’t celebrate the normal way that people celebrate turning 21. So I thought I would do it in my own little way.”
During the run, Crangle credited her resilience to the people who shaped and supported her over the past year. “I made a list of one person for each mile, and I thought about them along the way,” Crangle said. “That’s how I stayed motivated during that run.”
Each mile held meaning, but she didn’t face them alone.
Capt. Michael Porter, the unit’s logistics officer, rode a bicycle beside her for the entire 21 miles, offering encouragement and pacing support, while Sgt. 1st Class Marty Thompson, the unit’s supply noncommissioned officer, followed in a van to provide water and ensure her safety. Their presence demonstrated the level of trust and support her leadership had placed in her, as well as their willingness to go the distance with her.
“I rode alongside her all 21 miles,” Porter said. “She never quit. She stopped to stretch a couple times, but every time she started running again, she ran a little bit faster.”
Along with her resiliency and support from her leadership, Crangle used her endurance background to push through the challenge.
“I’ve trained for the last decade doing long distance,” Crangle said. “My body was just kind of prepared beforehand.”
Crangle attends Cleveland State University, where she competes in track and cross-country. She utilizes the Ohio National Guard Scholarship Program to pay for school, where she is pursuing a bachelor’s degree in social work.
“The Ohio National Guard Scholarship has honestly been the biggest blessing in my life,” Crangle said. “I was originally going to have to drop out of school and stop running altogether. But the scholarship has allowed me to not only pursue my academic and athletic career, but also do what I’ve always wanted to do, which was join the military.”
After graduating from Cleveland State, Crangle said she plans to pursue a commission as an officer in the Ohio National Guard, where she can apply her social work degree to support other service members and their families. She also has her sights set on joining the Ohio National Guard Marathon Team in the future, a competitive group of Guard members who represent the organization through endurance running.
“I’m hoping to join the Ohio National Guard Marathon Team, and I was a little skeptical about whether or not I could do that,” Crangle said. “Having run 21 miles and still feeling pretty good kind of gave me that boost that I have a chance post-college to do something really good with my career.”
Crangle crossed the finish line after 21 miles, tired and sore, but smiling. The run proved more than just a birthday challenge — it was a reminder of the strength she’s built through discipline, support and purpose.
“She’s got some great ambitions, both at her current assignment, but also her longer career in the Army,” Porter said. “I think her choice to run 21 miles is just an astounding feat to do that and still train all day.”
| Date Taken: | 08.07.2025 |
| Date Posted: | 01.12.2026 16:13 |
| Story ID: | 555402 |
| Location: | LITTLE FALLS, MINNESOTA, US |
| Web Views: | 83 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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