Page 19 - QARANC Vol 14 No 8 2014

THE GAZETTE QARANC 17
UK and Danish military runners. The time table was absolutely packed, with visits to the National Guard, US Marine Corps Museum, Walter Reed National Military Medical Centre and The Senate – Capitol Hill where we were informed of the burning down of the original building by the British in the 1814 war! This was all before the actual marathon! In between these visits we managed to carb load at every opportunity and took the all American diet to heart starting the day with pancakes bacon and maple syrup and finishing the day with burgers and beer!
The day before the race 2 QARANC stalwarts, Lt Col’s Patricia Gibson MBE and Tessa Grieves RRC arrived as the Flying Nightingale’s support team - hard work having to fly to New York for a few days before travelling down to Washington DC! It was great to see them and many of the team such as Col James Ralph and Carl Meyer had worked alongside them during many a tour and many of the injured soldiers running had been treated by them during Op HERRICK 11 and 13.
Race day loomed at 0330H; the bus was pretty quiet with everyone feeling nervous. We reached the charity tent to find the Surgeon General, Air Marshall Evans had come to support but as hard as we tried could not persuade him to run with us! The smell of fear and deep heat was all around and eventually at 0800H the horn was blasted and over the start line we went - for the next 4 1/2 - 5 hours the teams ran the 26.2 miles surrounded by supporters every step of the way. The crowd was amazing cheering us on all the way except during the silent mile where a life size photo of every killed US Marine lined the road - it was poignant for everyone but for us as a team gave us time to reflect on life in the Defence Medical Services and how pivotal our role is during times of war. Over the week we had met up with ex patients who we ran alongside some on their hand bikes and wheelchairs. This opportunity is so important for us because whilst it is our job to care for injured Service personnel, few of us get the opportunity to meet up with them years down the line. Whilst we all recognise the recovery is life long for many, it was healing for us to see that all the wounded team members had regained quality of life post injury.
Seeing friends in the crowd at miles 16 and 22 was a huge boost before running up the steep finish to rapturous applause followed by medal giving, photos, team hugs and a leg massage!! Eventually having eaten our body weight in pizza we met up with the Fisher House USA team who had definitely been the best supporters around the course. We swapped t-shirts and then waddled into town to soak up in the glory of running 26.2 miles!
Hours later, the 3 older Officers’ excused themselves from the drinking games and headed home whilst leaving the youngies to party on. Up at 0700H the next day and walking like extras in a John Wayne film, we were hosted by the local Legion team who fed and watered us in great style whilst some of the 3 Rifles team compared shrapnel scars with the Vietnam veterans.
Homeward bound via the Pentagon, we were treated to a private guide around the largest defence building in the world and unbeknown to us were herded into a briefing room where General Martin E Dempsey, Chairman of the Joint Chief of Staff and Admiral thanked us for our continued allegiance with the USA. Somewhat amazed that the COS had just addressed a bunch of odd walking folk we headed to the airport homeward bound via a burger bar!
Coined The Flying Nightingales by the Americans, we truly had the most amazing week representing the Defence Medical Services whilst raising money for our injured and sick back home. It has been a unique and humbling experience and our special thanks go to Stephen Cain MBE CEO of Allied Forces Foundation and Stuart Taylor for inviting us and Justine Davy and the Queen Elizabeth Hospital Charity Birmingham. We must also thank the QARANC, RAMC and 2 YORKS Associations, all who sponsored us so generously along with supportive friends and families; we raised over the £11,000, which will go towards buying early rehabilitation equipment for military patients. To Jack Horner and Steven Mace we all wish you the best in your new civilian lives and remember once a Flying Nightingale Always a Flying Nightingale!
Maj Liz Hughes
Cpl Stephanie Reed