Oklahoma Soldier Focuses On New Mission

A Broken Arrow soldier has raced home from Ramadi, after 16 months in Iraq. <br/><br/>News on 6 anchor Terry Hood explains he's just trying to pick up where he left off. <br/><br/>Army National Guard

Friday, June 23rd 2006, 10:18 am

By: News On 6

A Broken Arrow soldier has raced home from Ramadi, after 16 months in Iraq.

News on 6 anchor Terry Hood explains he's just trying to pick up where he left off.

Army National Guard Captain Alan Brown was just days away from racing in his first Ironman when he got a new mission. Brown received orders in the mail that said he was being called up to active duty.

The avid runner was deployed to Ramadi, one of the most dangerous cities in Iraq. Captain Brown tried to take his hobby with him, but says running for fun in Iraq was next to impossible. He says between the rough roads and the sniper fire, he wasn't able to keep up with his training. But Brown came home this week.

Now the veteran of 25 marathons, and the war in Iraq, is running once again. He says one of the biggest challenges is getting his body acclimated to Oklahoma's weather. "One thing, in Iraq the heat is drier. So actually, you don't see yourself sweat. So with that, you've got to constantly be drinking, but as I ran this morning, I was just sweating like crazy, so it definitely is a different feel with the humidity."

Captain Brown wants to be back in shape to race in the Tulsa Run and Route 66 Marathon in November.