DEFENDER 5k and 2.2 mile Ruck

4TH ANNUAL SGT.  ANTHONY MUHLSTADT DEFENDER RUCK

DEADLINE FOR GUARANTEED EVENT SHIRT IS MAY 20th.

AFTER MAY 20th, T-SHIRTS WILL BE BASED ON AVAILABILITY.  THANK YOU

Proceeds to benefit local organizations committed to battling military suicide

Ruck. Remember. Defend.

Anthony’s Defender Run/Ruck or Walk is more than a physical challenge—it is a mission of purpose, remembrance, and ACTION.

We ruck to honor Sgt. Anthony Patrick Muhlstadt, USMC, and every service member who has silently carried the weight of stress, trauma, and isolation while serving our country. Anthony’s life, service, and loss remind us that strength does not mean suffering alone—and that suicide prevention begins with connection, education, and courage.

This event exists because suicide is claiming the lives of our active-duty military and veterans at an alarming rate, and too often the warning signs are missed. Anthony’s Defender Ruck was created to bring those conversations out of the shadows and into the open—where real change happens.

When you participate, you are doing more than showing up:

You are standing in defense of life
You are raising awareness for suicide prevention
You are funding critical training and resources that equip people to recognize the signs, have hard conversations, and intervene when it matters most
You are honoring the fallen and supporting the living

Whether you ruck in person, participate virtually or sponsor, you become part of a community that refuses to stay silent and chooses to lead with action.

We ruck to remember
We ruck to protect those still serving.
We ruck so others know they are never alone.

Thank you for stepping up, shouldering the weight, and defending hope.

This year we’ve added a couple fun new options:

Create-a-Team (ruck, run, or walk together!)
Referral rewards + new swag rewards when you invite friends to register

Refer 5 people using your unique link and receive up to a $20.00 refund
Refer 10 people using your unique link and choose a Sgt. Anthony Patrick Muhlstadt Foundation t-shirt or a foundation tumbler

The Defender 5K and Ruck Walk is also a celebration of life; the lives that were lived in honor of God, Community, and Country. Participants are welcome to join Anthony's family and friends for a special birthday celebration after completion of the Defender Ruck Walk. There will be music, vendors, giveaways, camaraderie, friendship, love, and, of course, birthday cake. Participants are encouraged to use their own devices (smartwatches, etc.) to track their times. 

Join fellow runners on June 6, 2026 for the DEFENDER 5k and 2.2 mile Ruck. It's a fantastic 5K, 3.5K featuring a flat and fast course in Saint Petersburg.