Group shop of marathon team in track uniforms and masks.

Photo by Spc. Skyler Sandoz, Nebraska National Guard

The Ohio National Guard Marathon Team stands for their photo before the 2021 Lincoln Marathon and National Guard Time Trials this May in Lincoln, Neb. The team placed second overall among the other National Guard teams, with six of the 10 members qualifying for the elite All-Guard National Marathon Team.

Ohio National Guard sports wrap

Marathon team finishes 2nd at 2021 National Guard Marathon Time Trials; 6 runners named to elite All-Guard Marathon Team

Story by Story by Bill Pierce, Ohio National Guard Public Affairs

LINCOLN, Neb. (08/17/2021)

The recently concluded Summer Olympics in Tokyo featured many sports that aren’t always in the mainstream media focus. One of the oldest modern Olympic events and possibly one of the most challenging is the 26.2-mile marathon, which pushes competitors both physically and mentally. The. U.S. team earned a medal in the women’s marathon event, but earlier this year, there were several American heroes earning medals, including several from the Buckeye State.

Building on success and momentum that garnered a third-place finish in 2020, the Ohio National Guard Marathon Team earned second at this year’s National Guard Time Trials, with six Ohio runners being named to the elite All-Guard Marathon Team.

The Ohio National Guard Marathon Team sprinted to its highest ranking as a team with a second place-finish at the National Guard Marathon Time Trials at the Lincoln Marathon May 2.

The team earned it by having an average time among its top four individual runners (top three males, top female) of 3 hours, 11 minutes, 4 seconds. This is the third time Ohio has earned a top three spot in the time trials, garnering third-place finishes in 2016 and 2020.

Staff Sgt. William Collins, the team’s coordinator, was pleased with how the team performed.

“Despite taking place in the spring, the weather conditions were more like the middle of summer,” Collins said. “The temperatures reached into the upper 70s with 80% humidity. Despite the challenge, our team placed secnd, with Idaho taking first place and Pennsylvania finishing third.”

“Despite taking place in the spring, the weather conditions were more like the middle of summer,” Collins said. “The temperatures reached into the upper 70s with 80% humidity. Despite the challenge, our team placed secnd, with Idaho taking first place and Pennsylvania finishing third.”

The race returned to Lincoln this year after it had to be moved to the Omaha Marathon in the fall of 2020 due to COVID-19.

Of the 10 Ohio National Guard team members who made the trip, six runners qualified for the 2021-22 All-Guard Team. With their individual performances, Spc. Nathaniel Sink, Staff Sgts. Aaron “Chris” Edwards, Jerrod Abel and William Collins, Sgt. Miranda Kibler and 2nd Lt. Tonisia Jackson all earned spots on the 45-member team. The All-Guard team includes the top 24 males, top 17 females and top four master’s qualifiers (two males and two females, over age 40) from the competition.

Sink is one of the youngest runners on the Ohio National Guard Marathon Team, and this was his first time taking part in the Lincoln Marathon. He says while he did not get the time that he wanted, he was still elated at the finish line.

“With the camaraderie amongst fellow Soldiers already being extremely high, the added aspect of our shared love of running made the whole experience even better,” Sink said. “Although it was my first time meeting some of my teammates from Ohio, after seeing the amount of character and dedication we have on the team I am 100% confident in our abilities to win the first place team award next year.”

Sink placed third out of about 200 total National Guard participants; first in his age group (20-24); and was 25th overall, finishing ahead of over 700 other runners.

Of the 10 Ohio National Guard runners, nine finished in the top 17 places of their age group, with four of them placing in the top 100, overall. Nine of 10 participants of Team Ohio brought home age-group awards for finishing sixth or better in their respective categories.

For their qualifying results, Sink, Edwards, Abel, Collins, Kibler and Jackson are now all eligible to compete and represent the All-Guard Marathon Team in select marathon events across the country.

National Guard Soldiers and Airmen from 42 states and territories took part in this year’s event in a field of more than 700 overall competitors.