Great American Relay plans 565-mile 9/11 tribute route for America’s 250th anniversary

The Great American Relay will stage a seven-day, 565-mile relay from the Flight 93 National Memorial to the World Trade Center from Sept. 5-11, 2026. The event is designed 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 Great American Relay is tying a 9/11 remembrance event to America’s 250th anniversary, creating a yearlong civic marker around service, sacrifice and national unity. - The relay will raise funds for the Tunnel to Towers Foundation, which supports Gold Star families, fallen first responder families, catastrophically injured veterans and first responders, and efforts to help end veteran homelessness. - The event is built to include runners of different abilities, which broadens participation beyond competitive athletes and turns the route into a public tribute.

What happened: - The Great American Relay announced its 7th annual 565-mile, seven-day running relay on July 22, 2026. - The event will run Sept. 5-11, 2026. - The route will begin at the Flight 93 National Memorial in Shanksville, Pennsylvania. - The relay will pass the Pentagon Memorial in Arlington, Virginia. - The finish will be at the National September 11 Memorial & Museum in New York City. - Organizers said the timing falls in the 25th anniversary year of the 9/11 attacks.

The details: - The relay’s theme is "Never Forget." - Participants can register for individual relay legs, form teams or volunteer along the route. - The event is open to runners, volunteers, sponsors, veterans, first responders and supporters. - Organizers expect participation from 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. - The relay is 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 GreatAmericanRelay.com.

Between the lines: - The route links three of the country’s most recognizable 9/11 memorial sites, turning the relay into a symbolic journey as much as a fitness event. - The focus on volunteers, sponsors and community partners suggests the event is meant to function as a regional outreach effort, not just a race. - Vince Varallo, race director of The Great American Relay, said the event is meant to honor the heroes who changed the nation, celebrate shared values and remind Americans that freedom has always come with sacrifice.

What's next: - Organizers are actively recruiting runners, sponsors, volunteers and partner organizations ahead of the September event. - The relay will unfold over seven days through multiple states and Washington, D.C., ending in New York City on Sept. 11. - Supporters can use the event website to register, volunteer or donate.

The bottom line: - The Great American Relay is positioning its 2026 run as both a memorial and a fundraiser, using the 250th anniversary year to amplify a national 9/11 tribute.