Photo By Cpl. Darien Wright | Kyle King, the winner of the 49th Marine Corps Marathon with an unofficial time of...... read more read more
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MARINE CORPS BASE QUANTICO, Va – The All-Marine Running Team won the men’s and women’s Challenge Cup race during the 49th Marine Corps Marathon in Washington, D.C., Oct. 27.
The Challenge Cup is a race-within-a-race, where the U.S. Marines are pitted against the British Royal Navy and Marines, a friendly international rivalry that dates to 1978.
“The Challenge Cup is the most traditional and cherished ‘competition within the wider competition’ of the Marine Corps Marathon, because it’s between two of the most storied and revered miliary institutions in the world,” said Alex Hetherington, the director of the MCM Office, “and because the respect is mutual, and extends beyond respect to trust and admiration; the competition is fierce, and victory is both coveted and meaningful.”
This year marks the first time a branch of service took both the men’s and women’s race since 2018, in which the Marines also took both races for victory.
“The Challenge Cup was a great opportunity … to showcase our abilities after the many months of well-structured training,” said Cpl. Ben Clough, an exercise rehabilitation instructor for the British Royal Navy and competitor of the MCM, who also earned a new personal best of two hours, 42 minutes, and 33 seconds, shaving about six minutes off his previous years’ time. “The healthy competition between the US Marine Corps and the Royal Navy was exciting and allowed us to push harder than ever before as a collective.”
He also congratulates U.S. Marine Corps Maj. Kyle King for his victory in this year’s competition, but wants to let King know:
“I’m coming for you next year!”
King won several categories: the Overall Male, Armed Forces Challenge (AFC) Male Individual, Overall AFC Team, Overall U.S. Marine Corps Male, Challenge Cup Male Individual, and Overall Challenge Cup, marking a significant victory for the Marine Corps and himself.
“Every workout I did, three days a week, was just so painful, it was terrible,” said King, who finished the MCM in two hours, 25 minutes, and six seconds.
He won the MCM in 2022, too, making him the first active-duty Marine who won the race in over 30 years.
“All that pain I put myself through, it was worth it,” he said.
As it stands today, the British have won the men’s race 28 wins to the Corps’ 17, but the Marines took the women’s race at 17 wins to four.
“These runners are the pinnacle of running prowess in the Marine Corps,” explained Col. Joseph Galvin, the All-Marine Marathon Team coach for the past 12 years. “By displaying their talents, they not only encourage other Marines to focus on their goals but show the entire nation what a Marine is all about.”
The All-Marine Running Team competes in numerous events each year to include All-Armed Forces events like the Marine Corps Marathon and the Armed Forces Cross Country Championships. They also compete in the Historic Half-Marathon and the Big Half Marathon in London as an annual event named the Warriors Across the Sea Challenge. If you are another Marine is interested in joining the All-Marine Running Team, please contact Galvin at joseph.galvin@usmc.mil.
| Date Taken: | 11.01.2024 |
| Date Posted: | 11.01.2024 08:21 |
| Story ID: | 484412 |
| Location: | MARINE CORPS BASE QUANTICO, VIRGINIA, US |
| Web Views: | 164 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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