By Keith Waterfield
I used to be in what some of us in the Navy used to call the "three mile a year club." Twice a year, we had to run our PT test, which included a 1.5 mile run, and that was the only running done. I was never in the best of shape while growing up or for my first 24 years in the service.
In 2011, I was promoted to Chief Petty Officer in the Navy (Chief Master at Arms). I also had a few health scares, three combat tours in Iraq, and my body needed a change, so I looked to my older brother, who was a runner most of his life and was always in good shape, and I figured I would take up running. In 2015, I completed my first marathon, which was the Marine Corps Marathon. After a few years of doing half marathons and other shorter races, I chose this one because of the affiliation to the military, and I love visiting D.C. From there, I was hooked on the long distance, and I was happy to be about 70 pounds less than where I started my journey. Feeling good and now living right near so many awesome trails in Vermont, I picked up trail running. My brother and I would run sections of Vermont's Long Trail point to point. Greg is so much faster and an accomplished Ironman, but I never let that bother me. I was always just glad to be out there running, which became longer distances all of the time, and eventually ultras, including some great trail races around New England.
Spending so many years in the military, you find yourself wanting to give back in ways that we can help younger service members and Veterans. So I started running for groups and being involved with quite a few; Fisher House, Wear Blue, Team Red White Blue, Mission 22, to name a few. In 2017 the Navy told me, in other words, that I had to go. I was "high-year tenure" and needed to be sent to the pasture. The Navy pretty much said you can retire or whatever, but you can't stay here. This was a tough time for me because I loved serving in the Navy, and I felt great! I was running marathons, and I was the fastest runner in PT! Junior Sailors would tell me, "Chief, you are making us look bad."
“Spending so many years in the military, you find yourself wanting to give back in ways that we can help younger service members and Veterans.”
Determined to serve, I checked with other branches, and the Army took me in. If you are not familiar with the Army, a couple of things they like to do are; PT and Ruck! (Can you see where this is going?) So in 2018, I decided it was a great idea at age 47 to take up "Ruck Running." I began to train in the fall of 2018, and in December, I ruck ran the Millinocket Half Marathon in full ruck and uniform. Feeling accomplished, I signed up for the Boston Marathon Tough Ruck, the only event tied to the Marathon where you earn the Boston Marathon medal. April 2019, I lined up with all of the other ruckers, and my yellow streamers with the names of the Sailors lost in Iraq in 2010 were blowing in the wind. I had never rucked a race where everyone else was rucking and did not know what to expect. How many were going to run? How many were going to walk? Who can I pair up with for some company along the way? The gun went off, and I was pretty far back in the field, and most of these folks were walking, so I did what any other runner would do, going to the side and started making my way up the field. A couple of miles in, it was clear that there were some fast ruckers, but by this point, I could not tell how many people were ahead of me. It was not until we hit the out and back point where I could count how many ruckers were coming towards me. I ran along with a few ruckers here and there, but most of the time, I was solo. On my way back from the out and back, I was cheered on by hundreds of ruckers heading out. I was feeling great and felt like I trained great for the event. Mile 23, I tripped and fell. Now, if you have fallen when you are running, you know, it sucks! Add a 45 pound rucksack into the mix and sliding on the ground on your face. That was no fun! Lucky for me, there were a bunch of ruckers coming the other way, and they stopped and helped me up, poured water over my wounds, and helped me get my rucksack back on.
Mile 23 to mile 26.2 were the longest miles I have ever run. I wanted to stop, I wanted to cry, I wanted it all to be over, I was bleeding, and I hurt all over. It was at that point where I had to dig deep and remember who I was running for, thinking about the Sailors we lost on the USS Firebolt, friends who served and came home safe only to turn around and take their own lives, and everyone still out there on the front lines. This is why I run and who I run for. About a mile out from the finish, I called my girlfriend, who also is a service member, and told her I could not keep going and what had happened. She told me to get across the line how ever you need to, but to keep going. I came in 7th overall and first in my age group! No, I do not run to be on podiums and receive awards. I know I am not that great of a runner, but I tell you what, it felt great to be handed that award!
I "ruck" ran a few more times, including the "11 Miles of Trouble" trail race in Jamaica, Vermont, where I beat the Command Sergeant Major of Vermont in a race in Colchester, Vermont, and then I hung up my rucksack. I still run road races here and there. I have completed the Marine Corps Marathon six years in a row now, but I prefer trail races.
My girlfriend bought a camp up in the Millinocket area, so you can find us on trails up there or in Jamaica, Vermont, on the Appalachian trail system. You can always recognize me by my race bib pinned to my vest that has the names of my fallen friends on it. If you see me say hi, as I enjoy meeting fellow runners on the trails.
I hope to see you all at the Millinocket Marathon this December! Stay safe, and remember that 0.2 is where you find your tough! CAW!
About the Author
Keith Waterfield is originally from Milford, Connecticut, with time spent at family homes in Milo, Maine, and Jamaica, Vermont. He left New England in 1989 to join the U.S. Navy and moved to Japan and then the West Coast. About five years ago, he came back to the East Coast and started long distance running and joined Crow Athletics and a couple of other running clubs in the area to get more connected with runners. He has three children, 13, 17, and 21, and a great running girlfriend who keeps him going strong! He does some bike riding and loves hiking Mt. Katahdin and spending time at either the camp in Millinocket, Maine or at their family camp in Jamaica, Vermont.
