Events

Packet Pickup: Friday, April 10, 2015 9am - 4pm at the Governmental Center in Leonardtown, MD

5K Run, 10K Run, 5K Fun Walk. Something for everyone.

Course subject to change

Race Results

10K Run - 8:30am

One loop stretching around rural, country road course.

Course subject to change

Defender's Cup

A 5K Run Team Competition.

Results

2023 Dedication - Albert Eugene Hayden
St. Mary's County Veteran

RunForHospice is honored to dedicate the 2023 Defenders Cup Trophy Competition to a St. Mary's County Veteran whose service spanned two World Wars. And a sailor Life Magazine would identify as the first Maryland casualty of WWII; Albert Eugene Hayden. On Dec 6 1941 Albert Eugene Hayden stood 5-feet-11 and weighed 190 pounds - a commanding presence with blue eyes and dark brown hair. At 44 he was still very much in his prime - an experienced & confident United States Navy Chief Petty Officer described by his shipmates as "robust” - living up to his nickname “Rouch”. Serving his country as a sailor in the United States Navy was the best career in the world and the only life Rouch ever wanted. Born in 1897 on what was described as a spit of land between two rivers in Piney Point, he was one of five sons of James Dolor Hayden and Emma J. Hayden. As a child he was mesmerized by the water and the ships & vessels he witnessed upon it - imagining he was aboard them. Even at that young age the tidewaters of the Chesapeake had not only captured his imagination but were already part of his spirit & soul. Educated at Leonard Hall Junior Naval Academy & the Charlotte Hall Military Academy, he appreciated his teachers and believed they had well prepared him for his destiny which was officially realized on June 20, 1917 when he joined the Navy in Washington DC at 20 years old. With the United States entering World War I in April, Rouch was assigned to the USS Texas, a new battleship that would serve alongside the British fleet during the war. The Texas witnessed the surrender of the German fleet in 1918 and helped escort President Woodrow Wilson to the Paris Peace Conference.

Rouch was then assigned to the battleship USS Pennsylvania (BB-38) and served aboard the carrier USS Lexington (CV-2) before joining the Oklahoma in 1937. Rouch was Sailors sailor and as was tradition of sailors of the era his calling to the sea was tattooed to his flesh; his right arm displaying images of a sailors head & three nautical stars. For men who left the safety of their homes for life on the mysterious, powerful & perilous sea, tattoos were not fads, trends, hip fashion statements. They were deeply personal, sacred & spiritual occupational necessities; symbols of hope, protection, & superstitious importance; The star to help them navigate safely at night but perhaps more significantly the symbol of a sailor always being able to find his way home. The sailors head could indicate or represent having to leave loved ones behind, such as family, wives or sweethearts, destiny or accepting On Dec 7, 1941 353 Japanese aircraft were launched from 6 aircraft carriers in a surprise attack on the United States Naval Base at Pearl Harbor in the act 'that will forever live in infamy’. Commencing at 0748 am and lasting approx 1 hour and 15 minutes, 353 Japanese planes would devastate the defenseless fleet docked at Pearl. The first wave of 183 planes was led by 40 B5N2 torpedo bombers; though slow & vulnerable, they went undetected allowing their pilots & navigator/observers to calmly seek out the valuable battleship targets as if in a simulation or training exercise. Docked on the outside position of Battleship Row was the USS Oklahoma (BB-37). With her crew preparing for an inspection on Monday morning December 8, many of her watertight doors and hatches had been left open that morning leaving her completely vulnerable. At 7:56 a.m. she was hit by two torpedoes approx 20’ below her waterline between smokestack and mainmast. Minutes later she was hit with a third that penetrated her hull. Her boilers punctured, she immediately began to list and when hit with two more she capsized - sinking within 11 minutes taking 429 of her dedicated American sailors with her. Among them Albert Eugene Hayden from St. Mary's County - the first Maryland Casualty of WWII. The sailor known to his brother shipmates as “Rouch”. According to the Naval History and Heritage Command records The Oklahoma was partially salvaged in late 1942 and 1943. During the effort to ultimately salvage her she was sunk in a storm being towed in the Pacific Ocean in May 1947. During the salvage work, a mix of skeletal remains still aboard were commingled and buried in a mass grave in Hawaii. 1949, all of the remains were declared unidentifiable. They were bundled in military blankets and reburied in the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific, often called the Punchbowl, in Honolulu.

There, they rested until 2015 when 61 rusty caskets - many holding the remains of more than one sailor - were retrieved from 45 graves. Hayden's remains, wrapped in a military blanket, were among 10 such bundles in his casket. In nov of 2015 Federal officials announced they had completely disinterred all of the remains from the USS Oklahoma in an effort to identify all that are possible. In 2016 Rouch’s remains were among 5 sailors positively identified. Seventy-five years after he gave his life at Pearl Harbor Navy Chief Petty Officer Albert Eugene Hayden’s remains were laid to rest beside his parents - finally fulfilling the wishes, hopes & prayers of a heartbroken mother. Perhaps those stars helped Rouch find his way home after all.

Overview

A tribute to the men and women who work in support of our National Defense. A trophy sponsored by some of the Nations top Defense Contractors – companies that are committed to providing safety and security for our Troops and our Country in an unpredictable world.

Initially born out of appreciation of the Navy’s presence at the Patuxent River Naval Air Station in Southern Maryland- since its inauguration the Defender’s Cup competition has evolved into a popular and patriotic event competed for by both Military and Civilian teams from all over the region. The Defender’s Cup honors and commemorates the hard work, sacrifice and commitment of the men and women who Protect our Liberty, Guarantee our Freedom, and Safeguard our Future.

The winning Team will have their name and year engraved on a plate which is permanently attached to the trophy. In addition, the winning team is allowed to hold the trophy for one year.

Rules

This 5K Run Team Trophy competition is open to teams comprised of either Active/Retired and/or Reserve/National Guard Duty Military personnel (Army, Navy, Air Force, Marines, Coast Guard) Department of Defense (DoD) Civil Servants, Defense Contractor Employees and immediate family members who are amateur runners. CAC, military identification, proof of employment and proof of identity for immediate family members will be required for application.

Teams must designate a Captains/POC who should contact the Defender’s Cup Coordinator to register their team for the event.

All teams must have at least 4 participants and there must be (at least) 1 female member per team.

An organization may field multiple teams.

The winning team will be determined by the fastest mean time of the teams top four runners in the 5K run event (must include the female entrant’s time).

Sponsors

We couldn't have this event without the support of our sponsors.
Find out how your company can become a sponsor.

2023 In Memory Of

Our Amazing Volunteer Team

Figuring it out as we go...