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When Sergeant Andrew McLean holds his 1st Battalion Royal Canadian Regiment beret in his hands, he feels something stir within him.
The 17 Wing Search and Rescue (SAR) Technician and former soldier feels his Army roots come rushing back, with a sadness that is strangely motivating. Instead of dwelling on the friends and colleagues he has lost in Afghanistan, or even here in Canada, Sgt McLean does the only thing he can to make sense of his feelings - he runs. He runs and runs and runs, until the sweat and the adrenaline, and the pounding force of his six-foot, 190-pound frame, remind him how lucky he is to be alive.
And with that sense of gratitude comes a responsibility, says Sgt McLean, to make his running count for something, and to draw attention to the work of the Canadian Forces, and the sacrifices being made by members overseas and here at home.
"When I was in the Army, I learned about duty and selflessness, and the idea of putting yourself last ahead of the mission," says Sgt McLean. "When I run, I think about that. I want people to see the confidence and professionalism we have as members of the Canadian Forces, and that Canadians can count on us to take care of them, or others around the world."
Sgt McLean recently showcased his professionalism and dedication to a cause by raising $2,000.00 for cancer research as part of capturing the national title in the 24-Hour Canadian Running Championship in Ottawa in September. Sgt McLean used the race as a fundraiser for The Terry Fox Foundation with donations from his home unit, 435 Squadron.
"If you think what I did was tough, try visiting the cancer ward at a children's hospital and see what those kids are going through, or what our guys are going through overseas," says Sgt McLean. "It's really easy to run 24 hours when you know there are people out there (in Afghanistan) providing you with the freedom and the opportunity to do it. I have legs, I have my health, so why not put it to good use. It sounds kind of corny but I really believe it."
One of Sgt McLean's next goals is to combine his passion for running into helping injured soldiers who've come home from Afghanistan as amputees. "We never hear about the guys coming home with injuries," says Sgt McLean. "We have one guy here in Winnipeg who came home with one leg, and another with no legs at all. These guys are 25 years old. I would like to help them get back in the game - running, biking, skiing, whatever it is they want to do and I know we can do it."
Sgt McLean has approached the Canadian Paralympic Committee and its "Soldiering On" campaign to see what he can do to help. He hopes to take the help the members are getting from the Canadian Forces and Veterans Affairs Canada and take it one step further.
In the meantime, it's back to the track for Sgt McLean as he prepares to represent Canada in October at the International Association of Ultrarunners 100 kilometre World Cup in Korea as well as training for a 13-day, 740-kilometre trek from Whitehorse to Dawson City in February 2007 as part of theYukon Arctic Ultra.
Among his other recent titles, Sgt McLean was named the Canadian male ultrarunner of the year last June, and the fastest 160- kilometre (100-mile) marathon runner in Canada in 2005.
Sgt McLean joined the Canadian Forces in 1991 and became a Search and Rescue Technician in 1997.
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