The Fallen Heroes 5 Miler | July 4, 2026

Some races are about chasing a personal record.

Some are about checking another finish line off a training plan.

This race has never been either of those for me.

Every Fourth of July, I lace up my shoes knowing that someone else’s story will be running beside me.

This year, I ran in memory of Corporal Orville Gerena, a Marine from Virginia Beach who made the ultimate sacrifice on February 6, 2006, during Operation Iraqi Freedom.

When I pinned his name to my race bib, he stopped being just another name in a history book.

For five miles, he became the reason I kept moving.

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This year’s race was brutally hot.

There were moments when every runner around me was feeling the weight of the Virginia summer. Sweat soaked our shirts before the first mile was over, and the sun showed no mercy.

But somehow, complaining about the heat felt small.

The men and women we were honoring endured hardships most of us will never fully understand.

Running five miles in uncomfortable weather suddenly didn’t seem like much at all.

More Than a Race

One of my favorite moments each year is walking beneath the enormous American flag suspended between two fire trucks.

It is impossible to stand underneath it without feeling something.

Not politics.

Not division.

Just gratitude.

Gratitude for people willing to serve something larger than themselves.

As I crossed beneath that flag, I couldn’t help but think about all of the families whose Fourth of July celebrations forever changed because someone they loved never came home.

Freedom has always had a cost.

This race reminds me not to forget who paid it.

The Finish Line

Crossing the finish line felt different this year.

I wasn’t celebrating a fast time.

I wasn’t celebrating a personal best.

I was simply thankful.

Thankful that I had the health to run.

Thankful that communities continue to gather to remember those who served.

Thankful that one more name—Corporal Orville Gerena—was spoken, remembered, and honored.

Because remembrance matters.

People are only truly forgotten when no one remembers their stories.

Why I’ll Keep Coming Back

There are many races on my calendar each year.

Some challenge my endurance.

Some help me train for bigger goals.

But this one reminds me why I started running in the first place.

Running isn’t always about competing.

Sometimes it’s about carrying someone else’s memory forward, one mile at a time.

As I continue working toward my goal of running 65 half marathons by the age of 65, I hope I never lose sight of races like this—races that remind me that every step can have a purpose beyond myself.

Thank you, Corporal Gerena.

And thank you to every service member who made the ultimate sacrifice.

You are remembered.