Marche International De Diekirch 2022

 I'm kicking myself for just posting this now! But I, as well as many other OHMR soldiers, am thrilled to be able to pin a foreign medal on myself...the medal of the Marche International De Diekirch.

"Wow, sounds complicated!" you may be saying. And believe me, it's not a small feat. (Still less intense than the Norwegian Foot March, but that's one for another time!)  

Ever since OHMR soldiers were given the opportunity to participate in said grueling Norwegian Foot March last spring, (and hooah to the several who attempted it and passed!) foreign marching awards have become of interest to many members of the organization. Late in August, we were offered the opportunity to remotely participate in Luxembourg's Marche International De Diekirch-or Diekirch March, if you want to say it in a less complicated way! After registering for the equivalent of twenty dollars in U.S. money, we were good to go. There are many options for lengths, and most of us, myself included, chose the 2 day, 20 km (12.43 miles) on both days. 

I opted to do my miles and days at the end of September, a few days apart. And wow...what a workout! Nearly a half marathon on both days...and I will tell you, it was exhausting, yet one of the most rewarding things that I have ever done in my life! Our miles were tracked in the Strava app, and once both days were submitted, we received a virtual Diplome (certificate of completion) ...and then a few weeks later, our physical medal from Luxembourg. We also were given the chance to receive the Diekirch Marche ribbon from the only authorized U.S. vendor. Ironically, right as this opportunity was announced, the U.S. military was cracking down on the wearing of foreign awards...only for them to be reinstated just a few weeks ago! So good news for those of us who finished the marches.

I wanted to say that my doing this march was partially in honor of my paternal grandfather, as Luxembourg was where he was wounded serving as a combat medic in WWII. He suffered severe PTSD and sadly never got the help that he deserved.

On the topic of disability, the person whose military more or less started this march is an interesting person...John the Blind (John of Luxembourg, King of Bohemia.) Really, he's seen as a national hero in Luxembourg, and pretty much a foolhardy eejit most everywhere else...but still his story is fascinating! John the Blind didn't let his lack of vision stop him from charging bravely into battle...tied to his two most trusted knights' horses! Of course, having a blind person in a combat situation would get very, very ugly, and he did indeed end up falling in battle. But the point is, however, he refused to let his disability get in the way of what was important to him.

Here are my awards, also the official site (it's somewhat under construction):    

International Walk of Diekirch (marche.lu)

International Walk of Diekirch (marche.lu)