Great American Relay plans 565-mile 9/11 tribute run for America 250

The Great American Relay will stage a seven-day, 565-mile relay from the Flight 93 National Memorial to the National September 11 Memorial & Museum from Sept. 5-11, 2026. The event aims to honor 9/11 heroes and raise money for the Tunnel to Towers Foundation during the nation's 250th anniversary year.

Why it matters: - The relay links three of the country’s most prominent 9/11 memorial sites in a single endurance event. - Organizers are using the run to mark America’s 250th anniversary while highlighting sacrifice, service and remembrance. - Funds raised will support the Tunnel to Towers Foundation, which assists families of fallen first responders and Gold Star families, and helps build adapted homes for catastrophically injured veterans and first responders.

What happened: - The Great American Relay announced its 7th annual event on July 22, 2026. - The seven-day relay will run Sept. 5-11, 2026, covering 565 miles. - The route starts at the Flight 93 National Memorial in Shanksville, Pennsylvania. - The relay passes through the Pentagon Memorial in Arlington, Virginia. - The event ends at the National September 11 Memorial & Museum in New York City. - The relay will take place in the 25th anniversary year of the Sept. 11 attacks.

The details: - The event theme is “Never Forget.” - Participants can sign up for individual relay legs, join teams or volunteer along the route. - Organizers say runners of all abilities are welcome. - The event is expected to draw runners, firefighters, law enforcement officers, military veterans, Gold Star families, civic leaders and local communities across Pennsylvania, Maryland, Virginia, Washington, D.C., New Jersey and New York. - Organizers are seeking individual runners, corporate sponsors, volunteer course marshals, community partners, and veteran and first responder organizations. - Registration, sponsorship, volunteer information and donations are available at Great American Relay.

Between the lines: - The relay is designed as both a fundraiser and a public memorial, which gives it a community-service angle beyond competition. - The focus on accessibility signals an effort to broaden participation beyond experienced endurance runners. - The route through multiple states and major memorial sites gives the event a built-in symbolic and logistical scale.

What's next: - Organizers will continue recruiting runners, sponsors, volunteers and partner groups ahead of the September event. - The relay will unfold over seven days with stops along the East Coast corridor. - The event will culminate at the World Trade Center site on the 25th anniversary year of 9/11.

The bottom line: - The Great American Relay is positioning its 2026 run as a national remembrance event, a fundraiser and a public tribute to the legacy of Sept. 11.