Black Hills Veterans March and Marathon

🏅 Event Overview

• Event Name: Black Hills Veteran’s Honor March and Marathon
• Date: 2026-09-16
• Location: The Mickelson Trail to the Deadwood Rodeo Grounds, Deadwood, SD
• Event URL: Race Registration

🎖️ Event Background

• History: The Black Hills Veteran’s Honor March was conceived in 2002 as a way to honor the sacrifices of the nation’s servicemen and women.
• Distance: The 26.2-mile march takes place in the picturesque Black Hills National Forest on the Mickelson Trail.
• Timing: The March is held on a weekend at the end of September.
• Organizers: Conducted under the auspices of the South Dakota National Guard Enlisted Association (SDNGEA).

🇺🇸 Founding Story

• Inspiration: The idea originated from South Dakota Army National Guard soldiers who had participated in the Bataan Memorial Death March.
• First Steps: On September 21, 2002, seven members traveled to Deadwood to reconnoiter the proposed march route.
• Recon Team: Comprised of Ted Deloy, Michael Jones, Matt Lacroix, Ben Lamp, Jeff Nord, Ben Smetana, and Mark Thomas.
• Route: The current route closely matches the original route from Rochford to Deadwood.

📅 Inaugural March

• Planning: After completing a dry run in September 2002, notes and ideas were compiled for future events.
• Delay: Due to mobilization in 2003, the idea was postponed until a presentation in April 2004.
• Inaugural Event: The first march was held in September 2004.
• Growth: The memorial march has grown to hundreds of participants from across the United States.

🏃‍♂️ Event Categories

• Team Events: Team Military and Civilian.
• Individual Events: Individual Military and Civilian.
• Heavy Military: Participants carry a 35lb Rucksack.
• Endurance Options: Marathon, Mini-March, Team Mini-March, and the 110 Mile Endurance March.