U.S. Central Command –
My fellow Soldiers and I didn’t let a deployment, and 8,000 miles of separation keep us from participating in the 2025 Reno Tahoe Odyssey during Memorial Day Weekend.
We made it happen — a moment of camaraderie among Soldiers in the 17th Sustainment Brigade, Nevada Army National Guard, that marked our 10-month deployment to the Middle East.
The Reno-Tahoe Odyssey is a 178-mile relay race that runs from downtown Reno, through Lake Tahoe then east to Virginia City before returning to Reno. Of course, we can’t run that route while deployed, so we had to make our own route and form our own team among the more than 200 Nevada Army Guard Soldiers deployed.
Some of my fondest memories in the Guard occurred while participating in the National Guard Biathlon competitions. So, I thought it would be a good idea to bring the RTO to the Middle East.
I knew the conditions would be difficult in Kuwait; it was excessively hot, and there were several ongoing missions that we operated on 24/7 operations. However, I wanted to bond with my fellow Soldiers and create lasting memories for others.
I am new to the Nevada National Guard, and because I serve in the Medical Detachment in Reno, my ability to meet and bond with personnel, especially from southern Nevada, has been limited.
Our deployment included Soldiers from across Nevada. On short notice (about four months) we deployed overseas. During the deployment, Soldiers of the 17th were geographically dispersed throughout the U.S. Central Command area of responsibility. A team of 12 and several alternates jumped in and signed up for our RTO event.
Mapping the course proved a challenge. Initially, I began biking routes and creating maps. This was incredibly time-consuming. Applications like MapMyRun were unavailable at our deployed location. Ultimately, I created a few routes that the team ran, which were easier and provided additional safety — especially for our night runners. For Operational Security reasons, I can’t provide information on the exact locations we chose, but I can confirm we hit the 178-mile mark.
Our race started smoothly, but of course, not everything went as planned. One of our runners was sent to another base to complete a time-sensitive mission and had to withdraw from the race. We quickly found a solution. Everyone was responsive and happy to help by adding extra miles to their leg of the race. We completed legs 2 and 3 with 11 runners.
Our mock-RTO in the Middle East was a great experience that allowed us to feel connected to our home community and to each other. I am proud of the team and touched by their sacrifices for such a rewarding morale event during a deployment away from home, family and friends.
The geopolitical environment created anxiety for many. We were deployed during the start of the Iran-Israel conflict. I think we were able to block out concerns for just a little bit. I know I did and really appreciated the reprieve.
Thank you to Reno Tahoe Odyssey for their willingness to let us participate and their ongoing partnership with the Nevada Army National Guard; Sgt. 1st Class Jakob Camarena from Recruiting and Retention for helping us with organizing the event and sending NVARNG and RTO swag; the entire 17th Sustainment Brigade to the medics and officer in charge for their support, and to the leadership for their encouragement.
Our RTO in the Middle East demanded much more than a 12-person effort, but we got the job done and for a moment felt like we were back home.
Capt. Marie Zayas works in the Nevada Army National Guard Medical Detachment in Reno. She was one of about 200 Soldiers from the 17th Sustainment Brigade, Nevada Army National Guard who deployed to the Middle East last October. They returned home last month.