Delaware Guard Marathon Team steps it up in Nebraska

Posted in: June 2001
By Capt. Len Gratteri, Det.1 /444th MPAD
Jun 24, 2001 - 1:45:45 PM

In May, the Delaware National Guard Marathon Team traveled to Lincoln, Nebraska to compete in the 18th Annual National Guard Bureau Marathon Trials and Recruiting Workshop. The trails were held during the 24th Annual Lincoln Marathon and more then 220 Guard members competed, representing nearly every state and U.S. territory. All five runners from the Delaware team completed the grueling 26.2-mile race and placed 22nd in the team competition.

Individually, Army Capt. Holly Scott of the 72nd Troop Command came into the race as the defending Female Overall Champion and again led the team with another strong showing. This year she took second place in the Female Overall category with a time of 3:18:55 and once again was named to the All-Guard Marathon Team.

Air Guard Sgt. Jocelyn Banks of the 166th Aerial Port Flight, took third place in the Age 25-29 Female category. Banks, who also is a student at the University of Delaware, accomplished this feat while running in her first marathon.

Our fastest male finisher was Sgt. Gregory Calloway, a percussionist with the 287th Army Band, in a time of 3:21:23. Calloway is a consultant with Computer Sciences Corporation and lives in Wilmington. Setting out to break the four-hour mark, Lt. Col. Dan Arena finished the race with an official time of 4:00:01. Arena is the Inspector General for the Delaware National Guard and vowed to hit his mark next year. A few minutes behind him was Dover resident Army Capt. Gerry Pennington of the 261st Signal Brigade.

The goal of the Guard Marathon is to promote physical fitness. The All-Guard Team supports recruiting events around the country. As a member of the All-Guard Team, Capt. Scott is slated to run in the Marine Corps Marathon in Washington, D.C., the U.S. Navy Blue Angels Marathon in Pensacola, Fla., and the Air Force Marathon in Dayton, Ohio.