Honoring Our Heroes Marathon, Half, Relay, 10K & 5K

09/28/2026

Route 66 Series Challenge!

To celebrate the 100th anniversary of Route 66, Honoring Our Heroes Marathon has teamed up with two other MO races along the historic route.

🐸 Frog Hill Half Marathon and 10K and Leapfrog 5k: October 2nd - 3rd; Waynesville, MO. COMING UP THIS WEEK!

🐴 Run for the Ranch Marathon or Relay, Half, 5K, 1 mile, 6-hour Endurance Run: December 19th; Springfield, MO

If you participate in ALL THREE races, you will receive some Route 66 merch - a vest and a water bottle with a Route 66 Series sticker. Sign up for the challenge when you sign up for any of the three races. Register for the series only one time and pay a $30 fee!

🇺🇸 All of the race organizations are non-profit and benefit veterans, local wellness, and the Good Samaritan Boy's Ranch.

⭐ Be the first participant to DM us on Facebook, showing proof that you have registered for Frog Hill AND Run for the Ranch and win a FREE HEROES REGISTRATION! ⭐

09/28/2026

What a cool way to encourage active youth! Join our friends at Frog Hill this upcoming weekend - register NOW and participate in the Route 66 challenge we are doing with them!

The Leapfrog 5k is quickly approaching!! And, once again, we have 50 FREE entries for kids under the age of 18! Use the code: activekids2026 at checkout to get your young runners signed up at https://ultrasignup.com/register.aspx?did=136699

*Free entries do NOT include a shirt but do include a medal and postrace food!

09/25/2026

Are you a runner or community member looking for another way to Honor Your Hero? Participating in the Ghost Runner Brigade is a great opportunity for ANYONE to be a part of Heroes.

Ghost Runner Brigade was an idea formed by Heroes past president, Richard LaBrash, who is no longer with us. In honor of Richard, consider participating this year in something he was so passionate about. Send us the name(s) of a veteran who is no longer with us that you wish to honor. It's a $20 donation per name. Their name(s) will be read on Race Day by a combat veteran and will be listed in the race program.

Here are a few more ways:
⭐ Hero Team: Run or walk as a team for the same veteran
⭐ Run for a Vet: Invite your hero to watch you cross the finish line and present your bib and shirt to them
⭐ Bib: Write the name of your veteran on your race bib

Message us and we can get your Ghost Runner, Hero Team Name, or Run for a Vet moment in our 2026 Race Program! Please do so by October 1st to make it into the program.

For Our Veterans, Our Heroes ❤

09/25/2026

Honoring Our Heroes almost achieved the Fifty States challenge last year with your help! We had 49 U.S. states, only missing Rhode Island. Will this be the year we fully achieve the goal of ALL FIFTY STATES!? 🇺🇸

Be the first from your state to sign up and receive 50% off registration! How to claim your state: When registering, type your state abbreviation 26 (ex. MO26). If the discount code doesn't work, a fellow participant has taken your state. This discount opportunity is available until October 1st. The first from each state will also be listed in the race program.

If you're a veteran or active duty, you can register using code VETERUN for 50% off registration AND still be the first to represent your state if it's not claimed. We'll see the state info!

Comment below which state you will be participating from! 👇🏅

09/25/2026

One of our very own, Marilyn Sweitzer (pictured on the left)! Marilyn is our Race Director and puts in countless hours of work behind the scenes to make the Heroes event possible. A true example of servant leadership. 🇺🇸

She is just one of the many volunteers who wants to invest in our youth. Honoring Our Heroes looks to increase the youth participation in our event, advocating for a healthy and active lifestyle. 🏃🏃‍♀️

Rotarian Marilyn Sweitzer and Abbi Terrill were the guest speakers at Salem Rotary, Monday September 21st. They gave a presentation about Rotary Youth Leadership Awards, (RYLA). The Missouri RYLA Academy is a 4-day, 3-night leadership academy for diverse incoming high school sophomores, juniors, and seniors (fall 2026) who exhibit a heart for community service. Developed by some of Missouri's top professional educators and Rotarians from Districts 6040, 6060, and 6080, the curriculum is designed to identify and enhance the qualities of servant leadership for each participant, educate them on how to successfully implement a service project, and inspire them to live a lifetime of "Service Above Self." In addition, participants are introduced to the programs and values Rotary has to offer. Established in 1992, Missouri RYLA Academy has educated and inspired more than 2,500 students statewide. It is currently recognized worldwide as a model program for Rotary International. Marilyn was a volunteer counselor at this years camp at University of Central Missouri in Warrensburg and Abbi was a student participant. Abbi is a senior at Salem High School and is very involved in school and community activities. She is the FFA Chapter Vice President as part of her many activities and plans to attend college after high school with the goal of becoming a Veterinarian. Marilyn also wears many hats in the community and has been the organizer for the Heroes Marathon since its inception 11 years ago. Thanks to Marilyn and Program Chair, Jessica Booker for presenting and hosting the program for the Rotary Club of Salem.

04/25/2026

The Honoring Our Heroes Marathon held their annual Gala April 23rd. Over $48,000 was distributed to veteran's organizations, bringing our ten year total to almost a quarter of a million dollars! This would not be possible without YOUR support! 🇺🇸

Pictured are representatives of the organizations who received donations and the winners of our aid and water station awards. Also, check out our Heroes founder, Bob Gravely, and Heroes board president, Brian Jones, with the new Governors Cup!! The winner of the marathon will get their name added to the display.

11/16/2025

That’s a wrap on our 10th Annual Honoring our Heroes Marathon! 🇺🇸🏅

Thank you to every participant who ran with purpose, every volunteer who gave their time, and our incredible partners in law enforcement, EMS, MoDOT, and community organizations who keep this event safe and successful each year. 👏

We run to remember. We run to honor. See you in 2026!

11/16/2025

It’s all hands on deck when the finish line inflatable decides to deflate! Luckily our team of volunteers sprang into action quickly and it didn’t stop some finishers from finishing 🎉

11/16/2025

Congrats!

11/16/2025

If anyone knows any of these runners tags them in the comments!