ARLINGTON, Va., - More than 1,700 National Guardsmen from 50 of the 54 states and territories ran in the 26th annual Army Ten-Miler Oct. 24.
"This is my fifth year doing this, and it's gotten better each year," said Maj. Gen. Raymond Carpenter, the acting director of the Army National Guard during a pre-race pep talk to Guard runners and volunteers.
Last year, the Guard had 1,152 runners, but the number increased to 1,788 this year.
Carpenter also remembered the servicemembers, who would run in several "shadow" races at multiple bases and locations overseas, such as, Kabul, Bagram Air Field and Joint Base Balad.
The official event here sold out to 30,000 entrants in a record 35 hours this year compared to eight days in 2009, said race officials.
This was not the first Army Ten-miler for many of the Guard runners, who came for more than just the run itself.
"It's hard bringing Guard teams from all over the states," said Michael Piellusch, the Guard race organizer, who has been involved in the event for 10 years. "That's why the National Guard Bureau likes to provide the pre-race pasta dinner, the hooah (hospitality) tent and the expo booth for the runners."
Many Guard runners participated in these activities and appreciated the opportunity to meet or reunite with fellow Guardmembers.
"It brings Soldiers together," said Sgt. Sean Lockhart, an operations sergeant with the 153rd Troop Command of the New York National Guard, who was running the race for the third time. "It shows that we can run together, have our families, do our civilian jobs, do our missions and do it all well."
The event also had a number of active, Guard and reserve hospitality tents that provided entertainment and information about the Army's various units and commands.
"It's the absolutely the most fun … the esprit, the camaraderie, music, being in Washington…," said Col. Lee Smithson, director of military support at Joint Forces Headquarters, Mississippi.
Smithson, who was also running for a third time, was joined by nine other runners from Mississippi.
While more than 21,000 finished the entire 10 miles, it proved to be challenging for some.
"I'm a glutton for punishment," said Army Lt. Col. Jemal Beale, battalion commander of the New Jersey recruiting command, who was here for his eighth time.
This is an event that promotes fitness throughout the Guard, said Beale.
"It shows that the Army Guard is not just 'one weekend a month,'" he said. "It's a beautiful thing."