Defense Health Agency-Public Health Soldiers push through grit, rain during Army 10-Miler

By Douglas Holl, Defense Health Agency-Public Health Public Affairs ABERDEEN PROVING GROUND, Md. — Two Soldiers representing the Defense Health Agency-Public Health overcame training injuries, postpartum recovery hurdles, and a rain-soaked course to complete the 42nd Annual Army 10-Miler, with one securing the top finishing spot for the Aberdeen Proving Ground garrison team.

Army Captain Francesca Metzler, an audiologist with the Clinical Public Health and Epidemiology Directorate, and Army Staff Sgt. Lewis A. Simuel II, the noncommissioned officer in charge of the Deployed Health Services Division, proved that team motivation across officer and NCO ranks translates directly from the laboratory to the pavement.

Partners in the Lab, Partners on the Pavement

For Metzler and Simuel, the road to the starting line began long before race day. As members of the APG team, they participated in early-morning group workouts that built camaraderie and helped them overcome the challenges of race preparation. “Having colleagues from DHA-PH made the experience even more meaningful,” said Metzler. “The APG team spent many early mornings training together.”

Overcoming the odds: Injury and postpartum milestones

Neither runner had an easy path to the race. For Simuel, a habitual runner, the opportunity to join the APG 10-Miler team came up just days before the tryouts, right as he was recovering from a severe iliotibial, or IT, band injury that had sidelined him for nearly two months.

“My training in all honesty was not optimal,” said Simuel. “I was coming off an IT band injury where I wasn’t able to run for seven weeks and had just started running again when the APG tryouts were happening. I was only running around 14 to 18 miles per week, which is half of what I was doing prior to my injury.”

For Metzler, the race represented a deeply personal milestone in her military career and life postpartum.

“My goal was to challenge myself, celebrate how far I had come, and remind myself that becoming a mother doesn’t mean losing the parts of yourself that existed before motherhood,” said Metzler. “Training while balancing military responsibilities and motherhood has been an exercise in time management and flexibility. Some workouts required early mornings, while others had to fit into whatever time was available, most involved pushing [my daughter] Mackenzie in the stroller.”

Their dedication paid off on race day, where Metzler crossed the line in 1:13:02, securing her place as the top female finisher for the APG garrison team.

“Crossing the finish line was a moment to reflect on everything it took to get there,” said Metzler. “As an Army audiologist, I take pride in serving our Soldiers and supporting the mission. I hope my participation also reminds other parents, especially mothers, that their personal goals and identities still matter.”

Pushing through the crux: Rocks and rain

When race day arrived, the weather was far from ideal. Heavy rain threatened to dampen spirits, but both Soldiers leaned on their military training to push through the toughest miles.

For Simuel, the physical test came in the form of a literal obstacle inside his shoe.

“The hardest moment of the race was mile eight,” said Simuel. “For some context, I had a small rock in my shoe for half the race up to this point. I didn’t stop because I knew it would throw me off my pace.” Despite this obstacle in his shoe, Simuel wanted to give it his all.

“I really started to feel the pain in my feet, and I was also experiencing heavy fatigue,” said Simuel. “All I could do is take it one mile at a time. I would keep telling myself, ‘I can go one more mile’ each time I wanted to stop.” Metzler chose to use the wet conditions as a mental catalyst rather than a setback.

“The toughest part of this year’s race was actually the weather—rain,” said Metzler. “I continually reminded myself that I couldn’t control the weather, only how I responded to it. I reminded myself how much I loved running in the rain early on in my career. I embraced the suck and kept moving!”

Advice for the ranks

Both competitors hope their journey inspires other junior enlisted, NCOs, and officers to take on the challenge next year.

“Do it!” Metzler urged. “You don’t have to be the fastest runner or the most experienced athlete to run the Army 10-Miler. You just have to be willing to set a goal and work toward it.” Simuel emphasized the importance of disciplined training.

“To anyone running next year, I would say to prepare well,” said Simuel. “Run and do speed and tempo work weekly. Monitor your recovery and sleep. Ensure you’re eating enough and that 80% of your runs are easy.”

The Defense Health Agency is a Combat Support Agency, serving as a force multiplier for the joint services by optimizing lethality through warfighter medical readiness.

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