1ID Soldier runs historic marathon

Story by Sgt. Michael West
24th Press Camp Headquarters

Poznan, Poland – "The ultimate is not to win, but to reach within the depths of your capabilities and to compete against yourself to the greatest extent possible. When you do that, you have dignity. You have the pride. You can walk about with character and pride no matter in what place you happen to finish."- Billy Mills former Marine and Olympic gold medalist

Harrison Fletcher, an Army captain stationed at Fort Riley, Kansas, but currently deployed to Poland, is always ready for any challenge. His most recent challenge was the Athens Authentic Marathon held on Nov. 11 in Athens, Greece.

The historical marathon is a 26.2-mile run that covers the same ground that Pheidippides ran in 490 B.C. when he brought news of victory from the battlefield of Marathon to Athens. This historical event birthed the distance for all marathons that are run today.

“This has been a life-long dream to compete in this marathon,” said Fletcher.

Fletcher’s display of physical and mental toughness training for and completing the Athens Authentic Marathon, demonstrates commitment and the intestinal fortitude required to be a Soldier.

Raised in the rural town of Valdese, North Carolina, Fletcher is youngest of four siblings.

“I had a regular small-town southern upbringing,” he said. “My father was a school teacher and a high school football coach. And my mother worked as laboratory technician.”

In high school, Fletcher was an athlete but more in the bulky muscular category. He was a lineman on the football team and was coached by his father for three years.

“I was definitely built a lot differently when I played football,” said Fletcher.

In 2010, Fletcher graduated high school and enlisted in the Army National Guard.

After completing basic training and advanced individual training, Fletcher returned to North Carolina and enrolled at Appalachian State University in Boone, North Carolina where he became an Army ROTC cadet at the university.

“It was a complete transformation for me when I joined the Army,” said Fletcher. “Running came with being in the Army, then it became a hobby.”

As a cadet, Fletcher was given his first opportunity to test his lean-agile combat ready build by competing in the Mountain Man Memorial March held in Gatlinburg, Tennessee.

“As a cadet, we would start training six months out because the only way to get better at rucking is to do more rucking,” Fletcher explained. "We trained up in the mountains close to the university to get used to the weight on our bodies.”

In 2013, Fletcher graduated from Appalachian State University and commissioned as an Infantry officer.

As a Soldier, he has always tried to push his body to the limit physically and mentally has always been the goal for himself, he said.

“I really like his motivation and work ethic,” said Staff Sgt. Steven Zapata, an Infantryman  who works closely with Fletcher while deployed in Poland. “He is the model to go after and to copy.”

Fletcher completed the Athens Authentic Marathon in just under four hours. The time was slower than his personal goal set for himself, but it was his best time to date.

“It was an honor to run in this Marathon,” he said. “My legs are sore, and I can hardly walk but it was a great experience.”