Army sergeant qualifies for All-Guard marathon team

  • Published
  • By Regina Turner
  • Unit Public Affairs Representatvie Missouri Army National Guard
LINCOLN, Neb. --  Army Sgt. Michelle Elliott, 1-135th Attack Battalion, competed May 6 in the Lincoln Marathon, and finished 8th among female contenders.

"Race day conditions were not favorable," Sergeant Elliott said. "It was a dreary, drizzly day and contended with 30-40 mile per hour headwinds during the last half of the race I. cramped up near the 22-mile marker and couldn't fully recover." Nonetheless, Sergeant Elliott's chip time for the 26.2 mile race was 3 hours, 20 minutes and 55 seconds.

The 30th Annual Lincoln marathon included 5,000 military and civilian entries. Air and Army National Guard members from each state, including Puerto Rico, Hawaii and Alaska participated in this event.

The race brought additional anxiety as there was more at stake that the race's chip time. The top 40 male and top 15 female National Guard competitors would qualify for a position on the All-Guard marathon team.

These elite athletes represent the National Guard in one to two military and/or civilian races per month across the United States. Team members also participate in recruiting and retention events, as they are the nation's best Army and Air National Guard runners. "I love sharing my experience about being in the Guard with others, especially little kids when I tell them I'm an Apache crew chief," Sergeant Elliot said.

Sergeant Elliott finished 8th among female contenders and 2nd on the All-guard Team. This will be her second year qualifying for the team; she will be the sole Missouri Guardsman. "It is an honor to be on the marathon team, we are like an extended family with members from all over the United States," Sergeant Elliott said. "There is a great sense of team camaraderie and pride when we run."

"Elliott is a great female athlete. She has been the key person to generate a competitive nature among her team members," said Sgt. 1st Class john Murphy, National Guard bureau marathon coordinator. "Sergeant Elliott's athletic ability inspires her team. She is the first female All-Guard marathon member to take first place in a major marathon."

Murphy eluded to the September 2006 Air Force Marathon, held at Wright Patterson Air Force Base in Dayton, Ohio. Elliott made All-Guard history by becoming the first female to take first place in a marathon of great magnitude, finishing the 26.2 mile competition in 3 hours, 17 minutes and 48 seconds. She maintained a 7:33 per mile pace over a course with hill climbs at the beginning and the end of the loop.

For more information or to follow the All-Guard marathon team throughout their competitions, visit www.virtualarmory.com.