KANDAHAR AIRFIELD, Afghanistan, May 31, 2011 -- A deployment to Afghanistan means spending a year with a Soldiers boots on the ground. Practically miles of walking every day to and from places of duty, dining facilities and the occasional recreation center, can wear the soles out of a pair of boots.
During his year in Afghanistan, however, one noncommissioned officer is putting some miles on his running shoes.
Staff Sgt. Jeremy Logan, a Task Force Resolute plans noncommissioned officer, is using this year to achieve new personal records in distance running while deployed to Kandahar Airfield.
Since arriving at Kandahar Airfield in February, Logan has completed eight charity races as the leading member of a running team called Team Resolute, and is scheduled to compete in six more competitions in the next month. He has logged 72 race miles and runs an average of eight miles per day.
Of the eight charity races that he has completed, one stands out in particular for him, the 24-hour Ultra Relay for Charity Run. During that race, Logan broke a personal record and logged the most race miles in one event to date totaling 46.8 miles.
“I started running and just kept going until I ran out of time,” said Logan.
He and his team members ran for "Beyond Boobs," a non-profit organization dedicated to saving lives by increasing breast health awareness in women of all ages and nurturing young women who have been diagnosed with breast cancer.
“We chose this organization in particular because a young Soldier I used to work with was diagnosed with breast cancer and this is the group she uses for support,” shared Logan. “It hit close to home, so it means a lot to me.”
In addition to raising awareness and money for charities, Logan also benefits from his races.
“I get pumped up anytime I run a race and it feels great. For me, it is the competition, seeing how well or how much more I can push myself against other runners and beating my personal bests,” stated Logan.
Running such long distances can be challenging for even the experienced runner. Finding the strength to push past the "wall" that runners encounter and continue on shows dedication and conquers weakness.
When asked how he pushes himself to such paramount running distances, Logan shared, “I set myself a goal, and until I reach that goal, I will not stop. It isn’t even an option.”
Logan feels that personal accomplishments better individuals as Soldiers by improving endurance for real life situations and raising self belief, not just improving a run time.
“Just getting up and getting out there every day builds dedication and discipline,” shared Logan. “Also, reaching personal goals lets people know that whatever limits they believe they have, they can always overcome them and go further.”
For the new runner, Logan gives this advice, “Don’t get disappointed if you can’t run as well as the next person. As long as you stick with it, you will get better and eventually will be able to surpass your goals.”
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