LINCOLN, Neb. - According to the saying, the third time is a charm. For two National Guard runners the first time turned out to be their charm.
Nearly 200 National Guard runners representing 42 states and one territory descended upon Lincoln, Neb., May 1 to join nearly 10,000 more runners for the largest Lincoln/National Guard Marathon in its 34-year history.
Two National Guard runners wasted little time putting their stamp on the race.
Army Capt. Robert Killian Jr., assigned to the 5-19th Special Forces Group of the Colorado National Guard, took advantage of the oxygen-rich Lincoln air to take top honors for National Guard males and fifth place overall. It was the first marathon he has competed in, clocking a time of 2 hours, 36 minutes, 37 seconds.
Although it was his first true marathon, Killian is no stranger to endurance competitions. He has competed in several bi- and triathlons and just last October won the military category of the Ironman competition held in Hawaii.
“I’ve never done a marathon [event] before so I thought it would be good training for the Ironman,” said Killian. “It was tough. I had a goal time that I wanted to run today and I didn’t know that I’d actually be able to do it. I’ve only been training for four weeks.”
Killian said he performed better than even he expected.
“I was shocked,” he said. “I gave it 110 percent. I think I did great.”
His time spent training at a higher altitude in Colorado proved to be an advantage for Killian, who arrived in Lincoln the day before the race.
“I could definitely feel that difference,” he said. “It only lasts a few days until you acclimate, but it definitely helps. You can breathe better. You don’t feel as tired.”
The female competitors in the National Guard also saw a first-time marathoner take home the gold.
Air Force Airman 1st Class Emily Shertzer, a member of the 553rd Band of the Mid-Atlantic in the Pennsylvania National Guard, notched the top spot for National Guard females and second place among overall female runners with a time of 2:54:20.
Shertzer said she ran cross country and track in high school and college, but had never attempted a marathon until National Guard marathon team members showed interest in her.
“I was encouraged by National Guard members that are on the team, and they talked me into it,” said Shertzer. “I had done the Air Force half [marathon], and I did the Army 10-miler, and they encouraged me to try the full marathon.”
“They told me I had a good chance to be the first Guard female,” said added. “I didn’t know how I’d place overall with [an] open runners.”
“My first goal was just to finish. A second goal was to break three hours,” she said. “I’m happy.”
The Wisconsin National Guard team earned top team honors with an average of time of 2:55:21 for their top three runners. First-year team captain Air Force Maj. Michael Western, an air battle manager with the 128th Air Control Squadron, said it was special to break through and win the team title.
“It’s pretty cool, absolutely,” said Western. “We’ve always been somewhere in the top five and this is our first year winning.”
Making the win extra special was the fact that Western was replacing a staple of the Wisconsin team and National Guard Marathon team as captain.
Air Force Tech. Sgt. Michael Zeigle, of the Wisconsin Air National Guard, is expected to retire at the end of August after a 29-year career, also ending his stretch of competing in the marathon since it began in Lincoln in 1984. Ziegle was awarded a Wisconsin Air Force Commendation Medal during a ceremony held the night before the marathon for his years of service and extensive running accomplishments.
“I think everybody running today … that was kind of the extra thing that kept us rolling is [to] give a good race for Mike [Zeigle],” said Western. “It was pretty inspiring to know this is his last race and to win it for his last year here.”
“This team has always been kind of competitive,” added Western. “We’ve always thought it was something we’d be able to do and to actually do it this year is neat, especially on Mike’s last year.”
According to organizers, the race was a success.
“I think it went very well,” said Army Sgt. 1st Class Michael Hagen, the National Guard’s marathon coordinator. “The times were faster for both male and female and there seemed to be more aggressive running out there to earn a spot on the team.
“It was a great weather day for the race, there were some stretches where they battled the wind, but then towards the end it started to die down. The temperatures were cool and really what the city of Lincoln brings back to the race with hospitality and sportsmanship and support really drives the athletic nature. And also, with the National Guard being part of the actual name of the event, I think our runners take a sense of pride.”
The top 40 male and 15 female runners make the All Guard Marathon Team which represents the National Guard in marathons across the country, and both first-time winners look forward to taking on that role at future races.
“I’m excited,” said Shertzer. “They told me a little about the program and some of the races they do and the recruiting opportunities that go with it, so I’m hoping that I’ll have a chance to get to some of the big events and represent the Guard.”
“I think running as part of a team is the most fun,” she added. “I hope that we get a chance to talk to people, if it’s other runners, spectators, whoever, and just let them know that there are these opportunities within the National Guard and we’re all out here supporting each other.”
“It’s amazing these programs we have for guys that want to go out there and do more than the average person,” said Killian. “I definitely try to come out and set a good time … not only for the Guard but so people recognize [there are] good athletes in the Guard. I think they get a perception sometimes that we don’t work as hard or work out. It’s a tough schedule; you have to work, plus train, plus deployments. So just to go out there and be able to compete with them means a lot to me.
“It’s a good program. I’m just glad I can go out and spread the word as well.”
Hagen said the National Guard Marathon Team has many benefits for the National Guard as a whole.
“It’s not only just the traveling [to] places,” said Hagen. “You bring camaraderie with so many individuals and they go back to their states and share that as well through fitness or just mentorship or pushing through the pain or anything a marathon brings. And as a national perspective, when we go places we’re running beside others in different communities, we’re working at expo booths gaining exposure to the public, recruiting leads and showing people [who] are already in the Guard, [who] didn’t know about the program, that we exist.”
“This is the National Guard marathon put on right here in Lincoln, so I think the runners coming in take a lot of pride in [this] and I think it shows on the course.”