North Dakota Guardsman Completes First Race on National Team

North Dakota National Guard Public Affairs  

11.22.2010 FARGO, N.D. - A North Dakota Guardsman made her debut this weekend with the All-Guard Marathon Team in Pennsylvania.

Capt. Anna Wittrock completed the Philadelphia Half Marathon in a time of 1 hour, 47 minutes and 23 seconds, which put her 79th out of 915 runners in her age division. She is the first North Dakota Guardsman to ever qualify for the All-Guard Marathon Team.

Capt. Anna Wittrock (right), of Moorhead, Minn., and her friend Rachel Ebeling, of Fargo, N.D., pose with a statue of the Rocky Balboa character after finishing the Philadelphia Half Marathon Nov. 21. "We ran the Rocky steps after (the race)," Wittrock said. She finished with a time of 1 hour, 47 minutes and 23 seconds.

“I was really surprised and excited to be chosen for the National Guard Marathon team while in Kosovo,” Wittrock said.

“Although I haven’t been able to train as hard as I would’ve liked due to a hamstring injury, I didn’t want to miss out on the experience in Philadelphia, which has been amazing.”

The All-Guard Marathon Team encompasses some of the best distance runners in the entire Army National Guard. Wittrock, of Moorhead, Minn., qualified for the team in a satellite version of the National Guard Marathon in Kosovo May 2. Wittrock was deployed there as part of NATO peacekeeping forces, and Soldiers from across the world ran the marathon at Camp Bondsteel in conjunction with the annual marathon in Lincoln, Neb. Wittrock placed fifth overall and first among all women competitors on the challenging 26.2-mile course there with a time of 4:13.38.

Capt. Anna Wittrock, of Moorhead, Minn., stands at the finish line of the National Guard Marathon that took place at Camp Bondsteel, Kosovo, in May 2010. Wittrock was the first woman across the finish line, earning her a spot on the All-Guard Marathon Team for the best runners nationwide in the National Guard. She made her debut with the All-Guard Team Nov. 21 at the Philadelphia Half Marathon, where she placed 79th out of 915 runners in her age division.

“She showcases the best of our Soldiers as an incredible athlete, awesome leader, wonderful mother of two boys and loving wife to her husband, Cody. We are proud that she has this unique opportunity to represent the state of North Dakota and the National Guard at the Philadelphia Half Marathon,” said Lt. Col. Dave Skalicky, of Bismarck, who serves as the competitive sports manager for the North Dakota National Guard in addition to his full-time position as the G-3 plans and operations specialist.