WEBVTT

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(Brandan breathing)

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(gentle music)

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- [Narrator] For some,
running is just an exercise,

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a way to stay in shape.

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But for Master Sergeant Brandan Keel,

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it's an essential part of his life

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and how he rediscovered himself.

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- In July of 2013, I
found out that my wife,

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basically, cheated on me
and then got pregnant.

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When I heard the news, I
was just an absolute wreck

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and I was at my lowest in my entire life

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and I was just so depressed

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that I contemplated committing suicide.

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(gentle music)

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I was just thinking one day,

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"What could I do to
relieve all this stress?"

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So that's where I decided,

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"Well, maybe I should start running."

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August 21, 2013 is what
I call my runnerversary.

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That's the day I joined
a local running group.

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You could say that's the day
I started my running journey.

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- [Narrator] Keel
immediately got into the mix

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and began his routines.

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While running with a friend,

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he found out about another group.

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One that incorporated physical training

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with spiritual training.

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- [Brandan] It was important
because I didn't realize

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until I started going through the class

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how, basically, running
and my spirituality

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goes hand-in-hand and, not only that,

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but also God has introduced me to people

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who I could turn to if I was struggling

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or anything like that.

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I could pick up the phone or, "Hey,

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"I'm going through
this, can we talk it out

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"or can you pray for me?"

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- [Narrator] With a new sense

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of purpose and confidence in himself,

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Keel met a new love interest
and eventually remarried.

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My wife, Adney, she has
been an instrumental part

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of my running ministry.

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She has always been there for me.

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She's been very supportive.

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She's been out to several
races to either cheer me on

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or cheer my fellow runners on.

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- It's important to a relationship

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when we each have something
that's just our own,

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something that is
individual for each person,

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which, I think, is
important for any marriage.

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But, running is his thing
and when he has that thing

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and when he has that
freedom to be himself,

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then our time together is more quality

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and he's become a stronger runner too.

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I was with him when he ran
his first half marathon,

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his first marathon and those
were big things for him.

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- [Narrator] Keel has participated

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in more than 80 organized running events,

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ranging from 5Ks to full marathons.

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Since taking running more
seriously, he's never struggled

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on an Air Force Physical Training Test

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and has become a source of inspiration

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for members within his office.

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- So there've been times where, maybe,

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a couple of my coworkers will ask me,

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"Hey, Sergeant Keel, how to
you prepare for your PT Test?

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"Well, what do you do?"

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Or, "Can you, maybe, run
with me during my PT Test

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"for encouragement and support."

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- It's slowly developed

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his leadership skills, his love of running

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and his joy to spread it to others

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and to get other people
more involved in it.

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- It gives me very high satisfaction,

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knowing that using my experiences

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of what I have been through
and I what I've learned,

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gives me the ability to
help my running group

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or help my fellow wingmen

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meet their accomplishments
and their goals.

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(gentle music)