On October 25, 2015, 20 runners from across the country came together and represented Team Running Strong at the 40th Marine Corps Marathon and 10k in Washington, DC.
Team Running Strong is the official charity team for Running Strong for American Indian Youth and 2015 marked their 11th running in the Marine Corps Marathon.
Members of this year’s team represented 12 different states, 9 different Tribal Nations, and 2 countries.
I had a great weekend being part of Team Running Strong for MCM- the race itself was wonderful, but being part of this team was what made the whole experience truly memorable – Kate Elstad
The team participated in an honoring ceremony on October 24, 2015 at the National Museum of the American Indian. There was a special address from Billy Mills, as well as remarks by Dreamstarter and TRS marathon runner James Pine, and ESPN Senior Writer and TRS 10k runner Mike Wise. Steve Hill, Vice President of the American Indian Society of Washington, DC performed a blessing for runners and their supporters on the Director’s Terrace of the museum overlooking the National Mall.
On race day, Team Running Strong ran strong and were greeted at Mile 19 by the Running Strong cheering section! Staff, family members, friends, and volunteers gathered together in front of the National Museum of the American Indian to cheer on the runners & hand out gummy bears as they ran past. After the race, Team members stopped by the post-marathon tent where they met up with supporters, were treated to massages, grabbed a bite to eat, and were congratulated by Billy!
Thank you so much for your support over the weekend! Being part of Team Running Strong was a huge part of my Marine Corps experience. I’ve done races in the past and this was by far the most special. I’ll never forget the smudging and drumming song on top of the museum. – Ann O’Neil
Check out some photos from the weekend:
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