Ten-Miler motivation


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Ten-Miler

motivationA Soldiers dedication to ftness

runs her desire to raceSTORY SPC. GRETCHEN SMITH | 85TH ARMY BAND

88TH REGIONAL SUPPORT COMMAND

Dorothy Such, SergeantWoodwind Player, 85th Army Band

Arlington Heights, Illinois.

Sgt. Dorothy Such participated for the rst time last

October in the Army Ten-Miler, which is an annual

running competition in Washington, D.C.


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Sgt.

Dorothy Such of Vernon Hills, Ill., and woodwind player for the 85th Army

Band joined the Army in 2009. Such is a music education graduate of Illinois

State University and teaches in the Beach Park School District. She plays in the

Glenview (Community) Concert Band and Thesix (a woodwind sextet), helps with

Zion-Bentons High School marching band, and teaches private music lessons.

Sgt. Dorothy Such participated or the rst time last October inthe Army en-Miler, which is an annual running competition inWashington, D.C.

Although she keeps busy with her musical engagements, Suchdedicates quite a bit o time to building and maintaining herphysical tness level.

Running makes me eels good, says the 32-year-old, VernonHills native. I push mysel to see how ar I can go and that makes

me want to help others achieve their tness goals.Her dedication to physical tness has inspired her ellowSoldiers to improve their own physical tness standards. Wantingto motivate others to stay active, she created a Facebook page, onwhich she posts exercises o the day.

Tat way we could, at least, do one thing active every day,she says. She and her ellow members post articles and shareupcoming races. Such and the other members o the FacebookArmy Band P Studs page also log their workouts onlineor others to see. Such started the page aer returning romAdvanced Individual raining, or AI explaining that the pagewas designed so we can help each other out with [physicaltraining, or P] and make sure we all stay on track. [Te

Facebook page] allows us to make ourselves more accountable.Her Facebook page is not the only extra eort she has put in to

helping others succeed. Even beore her promotion, Such arrivedto every battle assembly early to administer Army Physical Fitnessests, or APF, and lead remedial P or those who needed it.

Tis young leaders hard work pays o every time she hasa physical tness test. Te rst time I earned [a PhysicalFitness badge], I was at AI, Such explains. Since AI, she has

consistently earned a badge at every physical tness test. Herhighest score is a 297 out o 300. Such does not consider herselan athlete but conesses to having run in short races, several halmarathons, and two Chicago marathons.

Because she enjoys participating in marathons, Such signedup to participate in the Army en-Miler, which took place lastOctober. Her participation in the Army en-Miler was paidcompletely out o pocket at that time because unit unding wasnot available. In previous years, purchasing fight tickets, rentalcars, and lodging was covered or event participants. Facing thissetback, it did not slow the marathoner down. Such said, I endedup running a bit aster than I expected to, so that was cool. It wasreally neat running past a lot o the monuments.

Sgt. Dorothy Such, center, and the rest of the womens team from the 88th Regional Support Command at the Army Ten

Miler in Washington, D.C., last October.

COURTESY

PHOTOGRAPHY

338TH

ARMYBAND


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Army Ten-Miler Facts:

Since 1985, the Army Ten-Miler has drawm

thousands of runners

Fifty ve percent of runners are men and 45percent are women

International teams and participants came from

Japan, Brazil, Spain, Canada, Germany, Chile

Such arrived the day beore the event, rented a car, and pickedup her welcome packet at the expo where vendors met to promoteother races, running apparel, and dietary supplements or beore,during, and aer runs. On the day o the race, Such rode the trainto the starting location.

Tere were so many people running! She continues, Tere

were a couple perormers on the sidelines. I remember a juniorhigh band at one point.Although she lost contact with the rest o the runners on the

88th team, she met up with them at the awards ceremony wherethe womens team took third and the mens took rst.

Such received a shirt and a coin or her participation and,later, was given the 88th Regional Support Commands Blue Devilaward or her selfess-service.

In keeping with her tradition, she already signed up or thisyears Chicago marathon and said she plans to run the Army en-Miler again this year.

Her dedication to maintaining her physical tness level continuesto encourage those who can proudly say they serve with her.

Above: Sgt. Dorothy Such with her parents, Joseph and

Donna Such, at the 2009 Chicago Marathon.

Right: Sgt. Dorothy Such at the 2009 Chicago Marathon.

COURTESY PHOTOGRAPHY SGT. DOROTHY SUCH | 85TH ARMY BAND

COURTESYPHOTOGRAPHYSGT.DOROTHYS

UCH

|85THARMYBAND

I push mysel to see how ar I can goand that makes me want to help othersachieve their ftness goals.

~Sgt. Dorothy Such

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Ten-Miler motivation