Runners of all ages test themselves at the U.S. Army Military District of Washington's 29th annual Ten-Miler race which started and finished at the Pentagon, Oct. 20, 2013. Produced by the U.S. Army Military District of Washington (MDW), this prestig...

JOINT BASE MYER-HENDERSON HALL, Va.- Following days of race course change whispers and rumors of cancellation due to the government shutdown, the 29th annual Army Ten Miler allowed an Old Guard soldier the opportunity to post the best time ever recorded by a Fort Myer-ATM team member.

With early mile splits much to his liking, Capt. Andy Cahoy breezed along the Virginia and District of Columbia course Oct. 20 and concluded his Sunday morning with a sub-60-minute time and a 96th place finish in a race which hosts 35,000 registered participants. His 56 minute and 46 second time made Fort Myer distance-running history.

"That's the fastest time anybody has run from the base," said Fort Myer team coordinator Todd Hopkins of Cahoy's performance.

Cahoy, an Honor Guard platoon leader of the Presidential Firing Party and a former West Point triathlon team member, started strong by completing the first two-miles in a little more than 11 minutes and finished by averaging close to a four-minute, 50-second-per-mile pace.

"My goal was to go under 58 minutes," said Cahoy, who ran the 2011 Ten-Miler as a member of the Fort Carson running team. "I wear a stopwatch, and I time my splits for each mile. The first three or four miles, I was running a very consistent race, and I felt very good and that I could keep that pace going."

Also providing a solid showing was the defending division champion Fort Myer sergeants major team now consisting of James Bodecker, Phillip Cantrell, Jeffrey Lewis, Keith Rickenbacker and William Scott Wilder.

The group, which is in the running for a top three finish in the command sergeants major/sergeants major division, bunched five times within a 30-minute period. Bodecker ran home in 1:07:34 while Rickenbacker (1:18:46), Cantrell (1:22:48) and Lewis (1:24:44) beat the 90-minute mark. Wilder finished strong at a 1:32:32 clip.

Official team results and standings were still unofficial as of press time.

The top female Fort Myer team finisher was Marissa Fowler, who ended her ten-mile excursion with a 1:08:38 time. Teammates Audrey Smith (1:19:21) and Curtisha Lewis (1:20:31) were just minutes behind Fowler.

Before the five Fort Myer teams, which consisted of 36 runners, started, Army Chief of Staff Gen. Raymond T. Odierno issued a pre-race pep talk and offered thanks to those who gave of their time to support the Army Strong weekend.

"This is a great Army day, and this is a day to celebrate all the great soldiers and civilians that are in our Army," Odierno said five minutes before the wounded warrior and wheelchair participants heard the opening cannon salvo. "I also want to thank our 600 soldiers and 900 volunteers who make this race possible. We're working toward making this the biggest 10-mile race in the world. We're getting closer and closer every single year. What you all represent is what's best about this Army, and you are all Army Strong."

As the government shutdown ended Oct. 16 - just four days before the race - those finishing in the top spots in both the male and female divisions optimistically confided to the media that training never stopped and some type of informal run would have occurred in the shadows of the Pentagon even if the shutdown continued.

"I'm sure we would have met and had a run no matter what," said Chris Kwiatkowski, who finished fourth overall in 48 minutes and 17 seconds.

A number of Joint Base Myer-Henderson Hall divisions provided high-profile support during pre-race festivities. The Old Guard Continental Color Guard displayed the colors before "Pershing's Own" Master Sgt. soloist Antonio Giuliano sang the national anthem. The 3d U.S. Infantry Regiment Presidential Salute Battery shared seven starting cannon fires to start the six waves of racers and the wheelchair segment of the event.

The men's race was won by Solonei Silva in a time of 48:04, and defending 2012 women's champ Kerri Gallagher repeated as the ATM victor in 54:56, a new female ATM record. The wheelchair winner was Alfredo Delossantos in a swift 28:38 time, and the top Wounded Warrior finisher was John Goudie in 55:51.

More photos can be viewed at: http://www.flickr.com/photos/jbm-hh/sets/72157636806407834/