Marathoners running in Columbus after canceled New York race | News

FORT BENNING, GA - The 2012 Soldier Marathon and Half Marathon will be run Saturday, Nov. 10, beginning and ending on the National Infantry Museum and Soldier Center’s flag-lined Heritage Walk. About 1,800 runners have signed up to participate. The runners are coming from 39 U.S. states, Brazil, Scotland and Germany.

Among the participants will be several dozen runners who lost the opportunity to run in the New York City marathon when it was canceled due to Hurricane Sandy. Local race organizers reached out to them, offering a free transfer of their registrations to the Soldier Marathon. Race Director Cecil Cheves says 45 runners have taken him up on the offer, including one from Scotland.

Also in the total count are 163 children taking part in the Kids’ Marathon. It is a running/walking program for kids aged 6 to 12 designed to build endurance and to encourage an active lifestyle. For the past three months, kids have been logging their runs to reach a total of 26.2 miles. They’ll run their last mile at the National Infantry Museum this Friday, November 9, at 5:30 p.m.

Despite being 7,000 miles away, 49 Soldiers stationed in Kuwait have signed up for the Marathon, too.

The race will again feature the Fallen Hero program, where runners are given the opportunity to run in honor of a particular Soldier who gave his or her life in service to the country by writing the hero’s name on a special race bib. Last year, nearly every runner wore a Fallen Hero bib.

In 2011, the event raised more than $20,000 for two local organizations that serve the military: the National Infantry Foundation and the House of Heroes. The race attracts runners from all over the world, in part because the event supports soldiers.

The race starts at 7 a.m. The first half-marathoners will return to the museum around 8:15, and the first marathoners will return at around 9:30.