Friends to run marathon for Wounded Warrriors

By Shelby Smithey…

Two friends will be among nearly 1600 people running the 8th annual Pensacola Marathon on Nov. 11, but they won’t be wearing Nike’s.
Brad King, an Army veteran, and his best friend Alan Moses will be running the 26.2 mile race in military boots and carrying a 50-pound rucksack in an effort to raise money for the Wounded Warrior Project.

“I wanted to do something with a big wow factor and running a marathon in military apparel seemed like the right idea,” King said. “We’re trying to show the community the struggle the military goes through daily and raise awareness. If there’s anything that will help them to raise money we want to do it.”

The Wounded Warrior Project is a non-profit organization that provides programs and services to help wounded veterans through fundraisers.

King, now a Gulf Breeze charter boat captain, served for six years as an Army Ranger. He said that he decided he wanted to raise money for the Wounded Warrior Project because he has many friends involved with the organization and wanted to raise awareness for a good cause. King then asked his best friend, Alan Moses to join him on this endeavor.

“Alan and I have been best friends for years,” King said. “I threw the idea out to him and he jumped on it really quickly.”
Moses is originally from Gulf Breeze, but now works in Atlanta as a project manager for a construction company.

“When Brad approached me about running the Pensacola Marathon with a 50-pound rucksack and wearing boots, I told him he needed to start wearing more sunscreen, Moses said. “However, after much thought and research, I realized there could not be a more appropriate way to offer up my gratitude to those who have sacrificed so much to defend the freedoms I often take for granted.”

Both men have been training extensively for the race. King said that he and Moses have been training for the marathon for about five months and run between six and 15 miles four to five nights a week in military gear.

Ray Palmer, Executive Director of the Pensacola Sports Association, the marathon’s management organization, said that he is thrilled to see these two men choose the Pensacola Marathon as a vehicle to spread the word and raise money for such a great cause.

“We have such a strong active and retired military presence in the Pensacola area so this fits perfectly,” Palmer said.

To donate to the Wounded Warrior Project, visit marathonpensacola.com. For more information visit Alan Moses’ and Brad King’s Facebook fundraising page, “The Warrior Challenge.”