PARWAN, Afghanistan – Spc. Jessika Williams a native of Westland, Mich., and a member of the 1776 Military Police Company, Taylor, Mich., finished 3rd among all female runners of the Boston Marathon at its satellite location. The Boston Athletic Association chooses one satellite location each year, and this year it was at Bagram Army Air Field, Parwan, Afghanistan.
Williams finished the 26.2 mile race with a time of 3 hours and 45 minutes, which was enough to take third among all female competitors. Williams said that since arriving in Parwan four months ago she had really only been doing P90X as her physical training routine. Once the marathon was announced she ran about 5 miles every other day for about a month, and the longest run before this was about 12 and a half miles.
She said that she joined the Army National Guard because a friend of her told her it was a great experience and a good way to help pay for college. The only time she runs when she is at home is for the Army physical fitness test twice a year. “Everyone in my family just seems to have the natural ability to run,” she said.