The National WWII Museum is a favorite of many in New Orleans and, this year, the museum is continuing its tradition of hosting the WWII Challenge in partnership with the Allstate Sugar Bowl Crescent City Classic. This challenge offers participants a chance to walk or run a mile in the shoes of WWII veterans by logging the distance of Liberty Road and the Pacific Theater virtually. Participants have the opportunity to choose between these two courses, each of which are split into a shorter and longer "race."
The Liberty Road Challenge was created last year to honor the 76th anniversary of D-Day, raising more than $80,000. This year, a new course, Operation Pacific Theater, will be joining the original challenge.
Operation Liberty Road's virtual course follows the path of the Allies who liberated France and Belgium in 1944. The course consists of the 100- and 712-mile challenges, the former commemorating the distance from Saint-Mere-Eglise to St. Malo in France and the latter continuing on to Bastogne, Belgium.
Operation Pacific Theater's virtual course crosses the Pacific Ocean, hopping from island to island as so many Allies did during WWII. The course consists of both the 72-mile and 717-mile challenges, the former commemorating the distance from Pearl Harbor to Midway Island and the latter continuing on to Tokyo Bay, paying tribute to Burma Road.
Participants have until July 4 to register for either Operation Liberty Road or Operation Pacific Theater individually or as teams. Registration costs $50/person, even if you are on a team.
Participants will receive a t-shirt, a dog tag for finishing, a 25% discount admission ticket to the museum, and even a virtual bib that you can print and wear while running your miles.
To complete these hefty distances, participants are allowed to walk, jog, sprint, run on a treadmill, and even bike! Individuals and teams have until Labor Day, September 6, to log the distance for which they sign up.
For more information or to sign up, visit runsignup.com.
