MNBG-E soldiers run the
Athens Classic Marathon
Story by U.S. Army Capt. Randy Ready
4th Public Affairs Detachment
W
arm temperatures, seamlessly
never-ending hills and the
requisite 26.2 miles (42.195
kms) of pavement were only
a few of the challenges Multinational
Battle Group-East soldiers faced as
they attempted to complete the historic
Athens Classic Marathon Nov. 10.
Despite the challenges, 44 soldiers from
MNBG-E completed the demanding
race on what is considered to be the
original marathon course.
According to legend, in 490 B.C. a
Greek soldier ran from the coastal town
of Marathon to Athens to announce
with his ?nal breaths the Greek’s
victory over the Persians in the Battle
of Marathon. To commemorate the
messenger’s sacri?ce, the marathon
race was introduced during the revival
of the Olympic Games in 1896 with
runners starting in Marathon and
?nishing in the Panathinaikon Stadium
in Athens.
Although Petersen, who has been on the
All-Guard Marathon team for the last 10
years, completed his 50th marathon in
Athens, the race was the ?rst marathon
for many of the MNBG-E soldiers.
“I thought it was a great event for
the team that went down there,”
said Petersen, “This was my ?rst
international marathon and over half
of those who ran from MNBG-E were
?rst time marathon runners, so there
were ?rsts for many of us, which made
it all the better.”
One such marathon rookie was U.S.
Army Spc. Aaron Gentapanan Angulo,
a medic with Task Force Med, who
said the history behind the Athens
course is what drove him to run his ?rst
marathon.
“The course, knowing it was the
original Athens Marathon, that’s what
really motivated me to run this race,”
said Angulo, a native of San Antonio.
It is this history that motivated U.S.
Army Lt. Col. Eric Petersen, the
MNBG-E Command Judge Advocate
and Utah National Guardsman, to
organize for MNBG-E soldiers to
participate in the historical race.
For U.S. Army Staff Sgt. Tigh
Freestone, a Colorado Springs,
Colo. native who ?nished his fourth
marathon, the opportunity to run the
original course was too good of a deal
to pass up.
“I’ve run in several marathons in
the United States and what a great
opportunity to happen to be in this part
of the world and have the opportunity
to do the run on what started the whole
marathon tradition to begin with,”
said Petersen, a Salt Lake City native.
It’s just great for all of us who ran in
Athens.”
“It’s one on my bucket list,” said
Freestone. “I can always look back
and say I was able to run the original
marathon.”
Though the soldiers had spent the past
three months preparing, not everyone
knew what to expect the morning of
the race.
“I was de?nitely nervous,” said Angulo.
“I was asking myself did I hydrate
properly? Did I eat healthy the night
before? The week before? Stuff like
that, so I was de?nitely nervous, but I
was motivated from all the spectators
out there. They de?nitely motivated
us.”
Petersen was equally impressed with
the crowd support compared to some
of the other races he has competed in.
“There are a lot of big races where you
don’t get as good fan support,” said
Petersen. “Here [Athens], through most
of the villages we ran through the streets
were well lined, kids were giving high
?ves and adults were giving out olive
branches.”
The crowds and knowing he was about
to complete a historic race kept Angulo
going throughout the toughest parts of
the course.
“Knowing that you’re going to get the
medal at the end, knowing that you are
?nishing the original marathon course I
think motivated us,” Angulo said.
Despite the numerous challenges and
the months of tireless preparation,
Angulo said he thoroughly enjoyed
his experience at the Athens Classic
Marathon and is already looking
forward to running his next race.
“I de?nitely want to do another one
[marathon],” said Angulo. “If it is
anything like the Athens Marathon I
de?nitely want to participate in another
one.”
PG 19
photo courtesy of U.S. Army Capt. Michelle Church-Reeves