Perez makes All-Guard Marathon Team
By Douglas Mallary, NMNG Public Affairs
Maj. Miguel Perez-Abreu earned a spot on the 2020 All-Guard Marathon Team based on his performance during the National Guard Marathon Time Trials at the Omaha Marathon Sept. 20 in Omaha, Neb.
Perez, 38, completed the marathon with a time of 3:08:48.
Sgt. Daniel Soliz also represented the New Mexico National Guard in Omaha. Soliz, 25, turned in a time of 3:17:49.
Maj. Miki Matsuo, a past competitor, went to Omaha in her first outing as the NMNG’s Military Competitions Team Coordinator.
Perez, a native of Puerto Rico, is a field surgeon assigned to the New Mexico Medical Detachment as a field surgeon. He joined the New Mexico Army National Guard after serving on active duty from 2010-2018.
As a civilian, Perez works as a Department of the Army medical board physician specializing in occupational medicine.
Perez managed to find time to train despite a recent deployment to Poland with the 1209th Area Medical Detachment (Medical Company Area Support) and moving with his wife and two children from Los Alamos, N.M., to Colorado Springs, Colo.
Perez ran track and cross country in high school and ran cross-country and played tennis in college.
“He is also a competitive triathlete and ultra-runner, having competed in numerous Ironman races and ultra-marathons, to include many 100 milers,” Matsuo said of Perez.
Matsuo said that Perez competed in an inaugural National Guard obstacle course race in August in Hastings, Neb., but missed qualifying for the endurance team.
Soliz lives with his wife and three children in Silver City, N.M., where he is a civilian occupational therapist. He is a forward observer assigned to 1st Battalion, 200th Infantry.
“Despite just coming back from deployment to Djibouti with his unit weeks ago, he jumped on this opportunity to compete for a spot on the marathon team,” Matsuo said. “Now that he’s back and can start training consistently, he looks forward to competing again in May.”
Soliz also ran track and cross country in high school and is now an avid trail/utra-runner.
Matsuo is no stranger to National Guard marathons and other endurance competitions. She was a repeat member of the All-Guard Marathon Team from 2013 to 2015. She has also completed a hundred-mile race, a 50-miler, four 50Ks, more than 20 marathons (more than 25 counting ultra-marathons) and, she said, too many half-marathons, triathlons, 5Ks, 10Ks, and 10-milers to count.
Matsuo is replacing Chief Warrant Officer 5 Jesse Espinoza as the state’s Military Competitions Team Coordinator. A veteran marathoner and frequent winner in the Master’s Division, Espinoza is retiring from the NMARNG.
“CW5 Espinoza, who had to attend TAP (Transition Assistance Program) briefing for his retirement, has been a big part of this program,” Matsuo said.
After qualifying in the Tempe Marathon, Espinoza first ran the National Guard’s Lincoln Marathon in 1992, representing the New Mexico National Guard alongside the late Lt. Gen. Edward Baca.
“Since then, he (Espinoza) has run 15 marathons in Lincoln and made the All-Guard Team each time,” Matsuo said.
Espinoza achieved a personal best time of 2:47 at the Chicago Marathon in 2015.
After completing the New York City Marathon in 2017 and recovering from back surgery, Espinoza arrived at the Lincoln Marathon solely as the NMNG team coordinator. The day before the marathon, however, he signed up as a competitor and finished the race to contribute to the team’s effort.
Matsuo is busily planning future events. The next Lincoln Marathon is scheduled for May, but the NMNG team must be set by Feb. 1.
The National Guard will hold its second annual obstacle course race in August at a location to be determined.
“Each state can bring approximately four runners/athletes to each of the events, where we compete against other states and individuals for a spot on the All-Guard Military Competitions Team—35 runners and 35 athletes for a total of 70,” Matsuo said.
The New Mexico National Guard page here on Facebook will post event information as it becomes available. Matsuo will also pass down information through command channels.
(Photo courtesy of the Nebraska National Guard)