JOINT BASE ELMENDORF-RICHARDSON, Alaska –
Twenty members of the National Guard All Guard Marathon Team visited the 49th state, Aug. 15-19, 2024, to compete in the Anchorage Runfest and promote the team’s program as part of an effort to boost recruiting across the state.
The AGMT is dedicated to promoting physical fitness, self-discipline, and esprit de corps among Air and Army National Guard members, while supporting recruiting and retention efforts in the communities where they compete.
The team members began their visit by sharing their passion and love for running with young athletes from the Eagle River High School Wolves cross country team, whose school is located just north of Anchorage.
“I think it’s important to get out at events like this to influence younger kids who aren’t really sure where they’re going with their life yet and to really express to them how much the Guard can help,” said Sgt. First Class Marguerite Zaepfel, a runner with the Wisconsin Army National Guard. “If you want to travel more, have a rewarding part-time job and set yourself up early, these are things I wish I would have known about when I was younger.”
The runners attended the school’s Thursday practice, offering personal stories and pre-race advice to help the students prepare for their first meet of the year, which took place the following day.
“It was an amazing experience practicing with the team and hearing their stories,” said Eagle River High School junior Isabelle Limauro. “It was really cool seeing the people that they are outside of just being Soldiers and seeing that they’re people like us with similar interests and hobbies.”
The next evening, Aug. 16, the team attended the cross-country meet and showed their support by cheering on athletes from four district schools. After the meet, they ran in a community fun run on the same trail, providing them an opportunity to connect with the local Eagle River community and share their experiences with a broader audience.
“Our team exists as a very dynamic recruiting tool and to be a positive influence on others,” said Sgt.1st Class Michael Eaton, the National Guard competitive events coordinator. “We want to step up our game in showing the vast array of opportunities the Guard can offer people who are passionate about running and where it can take them.”
The AGMT travels nationwide to various marathons to share the story of how Guard careers and opportunities can make an impactful difference in the lives of athletes and those who have an affinity to serve. The team also aims to inspire those currently serving to continue to take care of themselves physically.
For the duration of their visit, the team sported bright, neon yellow track jackets with the National Guard logo. The eye-catching fashion created an opportunity to show off the Guard’s branding and create conversations about running with bystanders.
The team spent Aug. 17 and 18 competing in pre-race contests and running in the 5K, half marathon, full marathon and ultra marathon races. They notably placed in the top five spots in the Military Mile event, competing against their peers from other services. Pennsylvania Army National Guard Staff Sgt. Tyler Lundquist finished 3rd overall in the full marathon.
“Finishing strong really motivates me to keep going at it,” said Lundquist, who began his running career at the age of 29. “It’s been an amazing journey on the team and being around like-minded individuals who make me better is great.”
The Nebraska Army National Guard’s Sgt. Austin Roach completed the 49K Ultra Marathon of more than 30 miles. His longest race prior to that was 13.2-mile in the half marathon.
“At mile 14, my legs seized up a little bit and I felt like I couldn’t move,” said Roach. “But after resting for a few minutes, I got back up and kept going. Quitting wasn’t an option.”
Several members of the team concluded their visit Aug. 19 by traveling back to Eagle River where the team met with the coaching staff and athletes. They presented challenge coins to the team’s best performers from the meet, team captains, and “Wolf of the Week” recipients.
“We had an amazing experience in Alaska with the community engagement piece and being able to interact with the local community,” Eaton said. “We’d like to build on that concept more going forward.”