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On March 1, retired U.S. Marine Tom Knoll of Hawaii and his son, Warren, embarked on the 3,300-mile Freedom Run to raise money for three charities: the Wounded Warrior Project, which assists wounded veterans and their families; The Sunshine Foundation, which grants wishes to seriously ill and abused children; and the Challenged Athletes Fund, which assists disabled athletes.
Along the way, American Legion posts are opening their doors for fundraisers and other events supporting the Knolls' mission. Freedom Run event coordinator Hubie Krawczyk recently sent a dispatch from the road to The American Legion Online Update, thanking Legionnaires for their efforts:
Some people are born to run. At 75 years young, Tom Knoll - a 33-year Marine and original Ironman from the first triathlon in 1978 - is running a marathon a day with his son Warren, 44, to raise $1 million for three charities.
We kicked off the Freedom Run on a beautiful southern California day at Spanish Landing Park in San Diego, with representatives from all of the charities on hand: the Wounded Warrior Project, the Sunshine Foundation and the Challenged Athletes Fund. The goal for each day of the Freedom Run is 30 miles; the total 3,350 miles are broken down into 112 30-mile legs.
Once the gun went off, we hit the beach and made our way north up the California coast. Getting towards the 20-mile mark, Tom took a hard spill, which got him 25 stitches above the eyebrow. After receiving medical assistance from the local VA, Tom was sewed up and ready to go. He woke at 2 a.m. the next day to make up the 10 miles he had missed. That's one tough Marine; this was just the beginning.
Our team continued through heavy-terrain mountain ranges into Desert Hot Springs, Calif., where we met up with retired Marine Sgt. Maj. David Danford, 70, who arranged a two-mile run with the local high school's ROTC Marines in support of the Freedom Run. "Very impressive," Knoll said. "These kids are a great example of hard work and dedication."
Our Phoenix stop was at the American Legion Post 35 in Chandler, Ariz., where we joined a fundraiser with local Legionnaires and Legion Riders. Their support was fantastic; we were honored to be a part of their post anniversary celebration. Heading east, American Legion Post 27 in Apache Junction rolled out the red carpet for the Freedom Run team. Here, we reached the end of the desert and headed into the mountains once again.
The Overgaard American Legion Post 86 in northern Arizona was the next meeting point with the run. There the team enjoyed a fish fry and received a Legion Riders shirt.
The Young Marines of Northeastern New Mexico joined in the run with Tom and Warren. An 11-year-old ran 12 miles with the guys - a great group of kids. With California and Arizona down, it was time to enter New Mexico.
American Legion Post 99 in Albuquerque stepped up for us, arranging a meet-and-greet for members and local people. Into the high plains the guys had to work against plenty of high winds all the way through the state until they got to Clovis, N.M. American Legion Post 147 worked with us and put together a function for the local membership. The high plains were a tough stretch for the guys, but Tom and Warren knocked out the miles.
With Texas in sight, Post 54 in Amarillo was our next Legion connection. The local ROTC came out and ran a number of miles, and the Freedom Run received great press from local television stations.
Warren and Tom have been daily running 30 miles; that's more than a marathon a day. This has been a huge effort, dealing with traffic, stray dogs and tight roads. Words cannot express how tough it is to hang in there and be strong mentally and physically to finish the job in Washington, D.C., on July Fourth. These guys are in for the long haul for a great cause. The Freedom Run would like to thank everyone who supported us throughout this part of the country. We would not be able to do it without you.
To learn how you can support the Freedom Run, contact Hubie Krawczyk, event coordinator, at (414) 550-4769 or e-mail hubie@usmultisport.com.
