Aviation Soldiers fly high in triathlon

Courtesy Photo | (left to right) . Maj. Kelly Donna, 1st Sgt. Roger Nickel and Chief Warrant Officer Jose Marquez, all of 4-3 AHB, recorded top 10 finishes in the Balad Triathlon Aug. 26.  

BALAD, IRAQ

09.07.2005

Courtesy Story

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Spc. Derek Del Rosario
Aviation Brigade PAO

BALAD, Iraq -- They had been running for almost an hour and, with sweat running down their faces, the Soldiers continued to sprint through the streets of Balad with fierce determination to reach their goal.

While running around an urban area in Iraq during the summer might seem like a situation most Soldiers would want to avoid, three Soldiers from the 3rd Infantry Division's 4th Battalion, 3rd Aviation Regiment (Assault Helicopter) made the conscious choice to do it. These Soldiers, along with 40 other U.S. and Coalition Forces and civilian contractors, competed Aug. 26 in the Balad Triathlon, which consisted of an 800-meter swim, followed by a 10-kilometer bike ride and concluded with a five-kilometer run.

Maj. Kelly Donna, Chief Warrant Officer Jose Marquez and 1st Sgt. Roger Nickel represented 4-3 AHB, with all three finishing in the top 10.

Donna, a Danville, Ill., native, finished third overall with a time of 53 minutes, 31 seconds; followed by Nickel from Saginaw, Mich., who placed fifth with a time of 55 minutes, 2 seconds; and Los Angeles native Marquez crossed the finish line shortly after in 56 minutes, earning him seventh place.

"We all have different jobs and various schedules, so work requirements prevented us from really training together," Marquez said. "We did meet on certain days, and I was able to get tips on things such as how to prep my bike."

"We went together as a team," Donna said. "We helped each other out and supported each other. I helped (Nickel) with the swim portion of the event"(his) technique, breathing and stroke."

Nickel knew that the 800-meter swim would be the most difficult event for him, so he trained vigorously for that event and welcomed advice from Donna, who has been participating in triathlons for nearly 20 years.

"It was my goal for two months prior to really learn how to swim competitively. I basically swam twice a day for two months," Nickel said. "Maj. Donna really helped meâ?¦go the distance. Working with a team got me where I was."

Being able to receive advice from a tri-athlete like Donna was of great assistance to the team, but even veterans get a little anxious prior to an event.

"I'm nervous every time I compete," Donna said. "I had butterflies for the first 400 meters of the swim, but I think you always get excited for something you love."

Nickel shared the same feelings going into the race. "The competition was so fierce, you could see it in their eyes. It felt like I was at the Olympics," he said. "It's the equivalent to going to your first (promotion) board"you get the same butterflies because you want to perform well."

One of the most important factors in doing well in a triathlon is an athlete's ability to transition from one event to another. Since there is no break in between events, being able to transition quickly can make all the difference for a tri-athlete.

"In a close race, transitions could make or break you," Donna said. "Transitions are hard because of the lactic acid build up in your muscles"it can make you feel wobbly when you are moving to another event. I did a lot of running and jumping on the bike to practice my transitions."

Marquez advises that endurance and form is the key to doing well in a triathlon. Despite receiving short notice of the event, Marquez still accomplished a high finish, something he attributes to his focused training.

"If you want to compete, you have to have your endurance level high enough. You need to save strength from event to event because you need to have enough reserve energy," Marquez said. "Form during the swim is important as well. You can be giving it 110 percent, but if you don't have form, you won't do as well."

Another piece of advice for those thinking of participating in a triathlon is to be cognizant of environment and equipment.

"We were running in an urban area with hardball roads which was very helpful," Nickel said. "During the bike race, the chain on my bike broke, but luckily I was prepared for it"it took me only a second to grab and fix the chain."

For the future, Nickel is planning a triathlon at Camp Taji, and wants to coordinate a simultaneous marathon run with a race in Chicago, a race in which his father and aunt will be running. Marquez would like to continue to participate in triathlons and Donna would like to stay competitive and someday compete in the master's circuit.

While the triathlon truly pushes a person's physical ability to the limits, it was something that the tri-athletes of 4-3 AHB enjoyed and can't wait to do again.

"Physical training is the perfect outlet. I look for gaps in my schedule so I can work out," Donna said. "Being physically fit raises the team's spirit and gives them something to look forward to."

Nickel does physical training at 5 a.m. every morning. "When others are sleeping, I'm working. I do my job and put in a full day's work and still make time for PT," he said. "These are the type of people"hard working, type-A personality, strong work ethic'that we (the team) are."

For Marquez, participating in events like the Balad triathlon is a great way to keep his mind occupied, and the preparation and training leading up to such competitions is a great way to stay physically fit.

"Events like the triathlon are motivating; especially when you go as a team, because you don't want to let your teammates down," he said. "It also makes you feel better about yourself. When you finish an event like that, all you can think about is doing better at the next one."

• Date Taken: 09.07.2005
• Date Posted: 09.07.2005 15:32
• Story ID: 2920
• Location: BALAD, IQ