FORT BENNING, Ga., (July 23, 2014) -- The first qualifier for the Fort Benning Army Ten-Miler team was July 18 at the Santiago Fitness Center.

The top finisher in the qualifier was Gerard Sclafani from B Company, 3rd Battalion, 75th Ranger Regiment.

Last year, Sclafani said he had a spot on the team, but deployed and couldn't attend the event in Washington, D.C. However, if he makes the team this year, he said he will be able to go.

The Army Ten-Miler means a lot to him, he said, because he is able to represent his company, as well as his two friends and fellow rangers - Spc. Cody Patterson and Sgt. Patrick Hawkins - who were killed during his recent deployment, he said.

Sclafani said he is currently nursing an injury and will work on getting back to proper form in time for the race in October. For training, he usually does running alongside cycling and swimming. The Army Ten-Miler is more suited for him, he said, because it's a long distance race.

"(There) are a lot of hills here," Sclafani said. "Going to Washington, D.C., it's flatter, so hopefully I (can) run a better time there. I find myself better at running longer distances - I feel more comfortable."

Despite PCSing two weeks ago from Joint Base Lewis-McChord, Washington, Ashley Urick, came out to the qualifier and finished as the top female finisher. She said she has run in the Army Ten-Miler in D.C. twice before.

"I love this race," Urick said. "It's just really cool to be in D.C., with tens of thousands of people who are there from the military. The camaraderie is amazing. It's also really cool to run for and represent your post. You get to meet people who do things completely different from what you do. It's just a really cool experience."

She said she trains by running 70-80 miles a week, "with a combination of speed work and track work and long runs every weekend."

The next qualifier is at 6:30 a.m. July 25 at Santiago Fitness Center on Sand Hill.