Upcoming Race Honors Fallen Troops, Naval Academy Grad

More than a thousand are expected to attend a memorial 5k race on Sept. 8 to honor the lives of fallen soldiers and first responders—the fourth-annual 9/11 Heroes Run.

The run was inspired by Marine 1st Lt. Travis Manion, a 2004 graduate of the U.S. Naval Academy. 

Manion was killed by an enemy sniper in Fallujah, Iraq, on April 29, 2007.  Before his death, he traveled to New York City to be a part of Rescue Team One, a visit that would change his life.

After Manion's death, he left behind an unfulfilled promise to his father Tom Manion to run the Marine Corps Marathon with him that fall. Manion's dad ran the marathon with a group of his friends under the name Team Travis that year, and the idea for a race was born.

Joshua Jabin, one of the race's organizers, said more than 25,000 across the world will participate in the race in Manion's honor. There are races scheduled for Afghanistan, California and even aboard Navy ships.

Close to 50 races across the globe are planned for 2013, with half of the total proceeds benefiting the Travis Manion Foundation, which helps families of the fallen, veterans, and active duty troops. The remaining 50 percent will be redistributed to local charities, including the E.S. Garnett Annapolis Firemen’s Welfare Fund.