By Capt. Damian Oliver
AL ASAD AIR BASE, Iraq – In the midst of a 13-mile trek, that contained neither a car, truck, nor bicycle — only soldiers and their motivation to run — soldiers raced.
The Wadi Dog Half Marathon was a 13.1-mile race in the humid conditions of the Al Anbar province of Iraq. Two soldiers from the 189th Combat Sustainment Support Battalion, 4th Sustainment Brigade, 310th Expeditionary Sustainment Command, laced up to run against the course, the clock and their own personal goals.
Sgt. Anella Oliva, an automated supply specialist with the 189th CSSB, and a native of Lewiston, Mich., ran the course in just two hours, six minutes. She serves as the non-commissioned officer in charge for the Deployment/Redeployment Operations section’s logistics cell, 189th CSSB.
Oliva has previously completed one marathon, 14 half marathons and countless other shorter races. She carries with her a family tradition of more than 120 years of military service.
Master Sgt. Kenneth Mackeprang, the D/ROPS NCOIC for the 189th CSSB , and a native of Norman, Okla., ran the course in one hour, 59 minutes. He said he deployed with a goal of running a half marathon under two hours within the first hundred days in theater.
Mackeprang is not new to running long-distance races and has a lot of experience under his belt.
“I run with the old folks,” said Mackeprang, who has run 18 marathons and more than 100 half marathons. “I’m in the senior division now.”