Eielson Airman awarded PACAF Male Athlete of the Year Published Nov. 26, 2007 By Airman 1st Class Christopher Griffin 354th Fighter Wing Public Affairs EIELSON AIR FORCE BASE, Alaska -- After participating in more than 100 running and triathlon events, Master Sgt. Robert Wieland, 354th Fighter Wing Public Affairs superintendent, gets the distinguished pleasure to receive the 2007 Pacific Air Forces Male Athlete of the Year award. Sergeant Wieland is also a member of the Air Force Triathlon Team, comprised of the Air Force's top endurance athletes. This year the team took second place at the Armed Services Triathlon beating out the Navy and Marine Corps. Sergeant Wieland said he was stunned to hear that he won the award for PACAF. "My biggest motivators are my wife and kids; I would never have started running or continued without the support of wife Jenny," he said. "She always makes sure I have time to do my workouts--which some days last up to 10 hours." Sergeant Wieland said he was not always as active years ago as he is now. Not really interested in fitness he attended the non-commissioned officer prep course where they were required to run, an instructor had some kind words to say about his running. "I've continued to run ever since that day," said Sergeant Wieland. "When I started, I would only go around about five blocks--slowly I worked my way up to a mile. After about six months I was going on two-hour runs." He said his best event was when he ran a 9:43 Ironman Triathlon. "I finished 45th out of 1,500 people, which qualified me for the Ironman World Triathlon Championships in Hawaii, it's something only 1,000 people a year qualify for worldwide," he said. "I still have the beer bottle at home, it's my favorite award." Sergeant Wieland also believes that exercise and competition is important physically and mentally. "I think that it helps me, and I think it positively affects people around me," he said. "Some people don't like competition, but I think it's required to make improvements--when you have to out-perform someone, you tend to work harder and smarter, it's that competitive spirit that makes people get better." "A few years ago the Ironman theme was "Anything is Possible," I firmly believe this is true. Exercise is hard work, but that is what your body was built to do. The biggest part of fitness is mental; we all have to overcome the desire to stop."