Mark the calendar for Saturday, September 28, and head out to Park Square Plaza at FishHawk to support the community and patriotism at the annual Travis Manion 9/11 Heroes Run, a heartfelt tribute to honor the heroes of 9/11, our veterans and first responders. Runners and walkers of all ages and fitness levels are invited to participate in 1-mile and 5K offerings. Additionally, there is a division for ruckers, a sport grounded in Special Forces training in which participants carry weighted rucksacks.
Veterans Village within Park Square at FishHawk will open up at 7 a.m. on race day, with online registration and packet pickup. The 9/11 Heroes Run opening ceremony will commence at 7:50 a.m.
The 5K race, including the Ruckers in Remembrance, will kick off at 8:46 a.m., marking the exact time the North Tower was struck on September 11, 2001. A 1-mile Remembrance Run will follow at 9:03 a.m., the exact time the South Tower was struck on 9/11. The event will culminate with an awards ceremony at 9:30 a.m.
Online registration is currently open and sponsorship opportunities are available at several different levels, both locally and nationally. Volunteers are needed and there is also an opportunity to participate as a Virtual Runner, from Sunday, September 1, to Tuesday, October 15.
The event is put on by the Travis Manion Foundation (TMF), a nonprofit organization that honors the legacy of 1st Lt. Travis Manion, USMC, who is known for the quote, “If not me, then who?”, a reply to his family when asked why he wanted to return to war. Manion was killed by a sniper on April 29, 2007, while leading a counterattack in Iraq. Those words are now the mantra of TMF, which was established in his memory and is a call to action for people to improve their communities.
Beau Higgins, former race director, served as commanding officer in the 1st Reconnaissance Battalion, where Manion served as one of Higgins’ Marines before he was killed.
“His family wanted to keep his legacy alive,” said Higgins. “The idea of the foundation is to remember the sacrifice and find a way to give back.”
The Park Square Plaza at FishHawk is located at 16132 Churchview Dr. in Lithia. Visit 911heroesrun.org/tampa to sign up. Additional information can be found at www.travismanion.org.
