Laura Young
news@greenepublishing.com
On Friday, Feb. 10, a team of more than 20 marathon-trained athletes will embark on a 176-mile, three-day journey from Tallahassee to Jacksonville to honor every service member with ties to Florida who lost their lives since the bombing of the U.S.S. COLE in 2000, which marks the beginning of the War on Terror.
The Third Annual Florida “Run for the Fallen” will start in Leon County at 7 a.m. on Friday morning at the Florida Vietnam Veterans Memorial, located at 463-489 S. Monroe St. in Tallahassee. From there, relay runners will stop at each Hero Marker spaced approximately one mile apart along the way to Jacksonville. When the runners stop at each marker, they will perform a short tribute ceremony for the fallen and recognize any waiting Gold Star family, friends, comrades and community members. Runners will proceed through Leon, Jefferson, Madison, Suwannee, Columbia, Baker, Nassau and Duval counties to finish at the Veterans Memorial Wall in Jacksonville, Fla., at 1 p.m. on Sunday, Feb. 12. On day 1 (Friday, Feb. 10), the runners can be seen along Hwy. 90 entering Madison County around 2:20 p.m. and stopping for tribute ceremonies at Hero Markers 40 through 57.
The day ends at approximately 5:27 p.m. in front of 3866 Hwy. 90, in Madison. Runners will have dinner and well- deserved R and R for the evening in Madison. Day 2 (Saturday, Feb. 11) of the Florida “Run for the Fallen” begins at 7 a.m at Four Freedoms Park, located at 112 Range St., in Madison.
The runners will make stops at Hero Markers 58 through 114, where the day ends at approximately 5:16 p.m. in front of Coin Laundry, located at 916 Hwy. 90, in Lake City. Day 3 (Sunday, Feb. 12) of the event begins at 7 a.m. at the corner of Hwy. 90 and 6th St., in Macclenny. Continuing on with their three-day honor tribute, the runners' effort will culminate with a remembrance ceremony at 1 p.m. at the Veterans Memorial Wall, located at 1145 E. Adams St., adjacent to TIAA Bank Field in downtown Jacksonville.
For those who want to plan to be at one of the markers across Madison County when the runners stop and perform a tribute, the list is as follows:
Friday, 2:20 p.m. - Marker 40 - 19835 Hwy. 90, Greenville Friday, 2:31 p.m. - Marker 41 - Corner of Hwy. 90 and Honey Lake Rd., Greenville
Friday, 2:42 p.m. - Marker 42 - 0.20 miles east of the corner of Hwy. 90 and NW Sandhill Way, Greenville Friday, 2:53 p.m. - Marker 43 - Across from 388 NW Spaniel Way, Greenville
Friday, 3:04 p.m. - Marker 44 - 15997 Hwy. 90, Greenville Friday, 3:15 p.m. - Marker 45 - 15073 Hwy. 90, Greenville Friday, 3:26 p.m. - Marker 46 - Across from 14026 Hwy. 90, Greenville
Friday, 3:37 p.m. - Marker 47 - West corner of Evergreen Cemetery, 370 SW Grand St., Greenville Friday, 3:48 p.m. - Marker 48 - Corner of Hwy. 90 and NW 228th St., Greenville
Friday, 3:59 p.m. - Marker 49 - Deep Roots Meat, 11661 Hwy. 90, Greenville Friday, 4:10 p.m. - Marker 50 - 9998 Hwy. 90, Greenville
Friday, 4:21 p.m. - Marker 51 - 0.7 miles East of corner of Hwy. 90 and Elizabeth H. Sims Rd., Greenville
Friday, 4:32 p.m. - Marker 52 - 0.8 miles west of SW Floridena Rd., Greenville
Friday, 4:43 p.m. - Marker 53 - 7223 Hwy. 90, Greenville Friday, 4:54 p.m. - Marker 54 - 6377 Hwy. 90, Greenville
Friday, 5:05 p.m. - Marker 55 - Corner of Hwy. 90 and NW Co. Rd. 26, Elizabeth H. Sims Rd., Greenville
Friday, 5:16 p.m. - Marker 56 - 0.10 miles past 4773 Hwy. 90, Madison
Friday, 5:27 p.m. - Marker 57 - 3866 Hwy. 90, Madison
Saturday, 7:11 a.m. - Marker 58 - 1130 Hwy. 90, Madison
Saturday, 7:22 a.m. - Marker 59 - 983 Hwy. 90, Madison
Saturday, 7:33 a.m. - Marker 60 - 2870 Hwy. 90, Madison
Saturday, 7:44 a.m. - Marker 61 - 3722 US-90, Madison
Saturday, 7:55 a.m. - Marker 62 - Across from 4707 Hwy. 90
Saturday, 8:06 a.m. - Marker 63 - Corner of Hwy. 90 and SE Apache Ave., Lee
Saturday, 8:17 a.m. - Marker 64 - Just past driveway of 6456 Hwy. 90, Lee
Saturday, 8:28 a.m. - Marker 65 - Just past entrance to Mayo Fertilizer of Lee, 7344 Hwy. 90
Saturday, 8:39 a.m. - Marker 66 - In front of Family Dollar, 569 SE Seaboard St., Lee
Saturday, 8:50 a.m. - Marker 67 - Corner of Hwy. 90 and SE 155 th Ave., Madison Co.
Saturday, 9:01 a.m. - Marker 68 - Corner of Hwy. 90 and Farm Rd., Lee
Saturday, 9:12 a.m. - Marker 69 - Corner of Hwy. 90 and SE Camelot Way, Lee
Saturday, 9:23 a.m. - Marker 70 - 12000 Hwy. 90, Lee
Saturday, 9:34 a.m. - Marker 71 - 12000 Hwy. 90, Lee
Saturday, 9:45 a.m. - Marker 72 - Corner of Hwy. 90 and Hwy. 141, Lee
Saturday, 9:56 a.m. - Marker 73 - Twin Rivers Wildlife Management Area, Hwy. 90, Lee
Saturday, 10:07 a.m. - Marker 74 - Near corner of Hwy. 90 and 277, Lee
This Hero Marker information has been extracted from the website florida.usarunforthefallen.org, where additional marker information can be found, along with maps of the entire route and names of heroes who will be honored at each marker. The site also provides detailed information about the history of the event and will have live coverage streaming over the three days. It states: “The second weekend of February, we run across Florida to raise awareness for the lives of those who fought and died, to rejuvenate their memories and keep their spirits alive and to aid in the healing process for the Florida residents whose lives have been affected by the war. We are dedicated to Honor and Remember as we blaze a 176 mile tribute trail to Veterans Memorial Wall Jacksonville. One Mission ~ One Team ~ One Tribute.”