The Annapolis 9/11 Heroes Run is taking its efforts online this year, hoping to encourage people to support those who have served, whether they live in Maryland or elsewhere.
The national online event kicked-off Sunday.
It’s put on by The Travis Manion Foundation and is aimed at bringing communities together to honor those lost and to recognize the sacrifice so many have made following the terrorist attacks on Sept. 11, 2001.
1st Lt. Travis Manion (USMC), a 2004 graduate of the U.S. Naval Academy, was killed during his second tour in Iraq in 2007 when his unit came under sniper fire.
This year’s race will honor one of Manion’s close friends, Navy SEAL and U.S. Naval Academy graduate Lt. Brendan Looney, who was killed in action on Sept. 21, 2010, in a helicopter crash in Afghanistan on his 59th mission.
The crash happened just 10 days before he was expected to return home.
“He’s known for his grit and his perseverance,” said race director Natanya Levioff. “We’re also really honoring all of the frontline workers in this COVID-19 world that we’re in.”
A virtual run means participants are able to sign up and pick the day they complete the run.
“Pick your own 5K course that you plot out on your own. You can run it, you can ruck it, you can walk it,” said Levioff.
Participants are also able to run with friends and family in other states by signing up for a team and completing it together.
Participants are encouraged to share photos and videos of their journey online. Anyone interested can sign up at 911heroesrun.org/Annapolis and has until Nov. 1 to complete the run.
