Heroes In Transition’s (HIT) 8th Annual Ruck4HIT may be over five months away, but event organizers are already looking for teams and individuals to make the fundraiser its most successful yet.
The Mashpee-based nonprofit will be holding an Info Session on Monday, Dec. 5, at 6 p.m. at Cape Cod Coffee on Route 130 in Mashpee. Anyone interested in supporting the event as a team captain, rucker, night support runner, driver, volunteer or event sponsor is invited to attend to learn more about the event which raises funds for HIT’s programs which assist service members, veterans, and military families in our region.
Next year’s Ruck4HIT will kick off Friday, May 5, and conclude Saturday, May 6.
The relay race brings together teams of runners wearing weighted rucksacks as they pass through all 15 towns on Cape Cod over the course of roughly 36 hours.
“We do the Ruck4HIT for those who can’t. The event is a reminder that there are people who are no longer with us because they paid the ultimate sacrifice for our country. It’s also a reminder of those who have suffered the visible and invisible wounds of service and the challenges they face,” said HIT Executive Director Nicole Spencer. “We do the race for them, and also to support the individuals and families who will need HIT’s programs, both today and in the future.”
The Ruck4HIT started in 2016 when one team of 12 runners and four support personnel spent 41 hours rucking from Ground Zero in New York City to Falmouth. Since then, it has taken place on Cape Cod, drawing a dozen teams and people from throughout the country to the region each spring.
Navy veteran Matt Carroll of Falmouth, will be participating in his fifth straight Ruck4HIT as captain of team United In Service.
“We owe a huge debt of gratitude, not only to our active-duty military and veterans, but also to their families who sacrifice so much,” he said. “This event provides a unique opportunity to challenge yourself mentally and physically, beyond what most have ever done, while giving back to our local military community.”
This year, Carroll is helping to organize training sessions for the Ruck4HIT which currently take place every Wednesday at 6 pm, from The Lanes Bowl & Bistro in Mashpee Commons. Saturday morning runs will kick off on December 17 at 7:45 am at Cape Cod Coffee on Route 130 in Mashpee. And Tuesday night cross training workouts will begin January 10 at Cape Cod Rehab on Industrial Drive in Mashpee. The weekly trainings are open to anyone interested in learning about, participating in, or supporting the 2023 Ruck4HIT.
Both Cape Cod 5 and the George and Betty Dutton Foundation have already signed on as sponsors. Businesses interested in joining them as an event sponsor can email ruck@heroesintransition.org.
To learn more about the Ruck4HIT, visit www.ruck4hit.org.
