Running Through Fond du Lac For A Bigger Cause(Salute The Troops)

Every year around this time, I start seeing people talking about the upcoming Salute the Troops Race at Lakeside Park, and it always brings me back to when my buddy Josh and I decided to run it together about 10 years ago. At the time, we thought it sounded like a fun challenge, but once you’re actually out there running through Lakeside Park with hundreds of other people supporting veterans and local families, it becomes a lot more than just another race. There’s a different kind of energy around it. You can feel the community behind it the entire morning.

The Salute the Troops Race has become one of Fond du Lac’s biggest annual community races, helping raise money for Wisconsin veterans, military families, and suicide prevention efforts through organizations like Salute the Troops of Wisconsin and NAMI. This year’s event takes place Saturday, May 23, 2026, at Lakeside Park and includes several different events including a 10K run, the Dobogai Memorial 5K Run/Walk, a Kids Race, and multiple Ruck March events. The races are designed for all experience levels, whether you’re competitive or just showing up to support a great cause.

One thing I’ve always liked about this event is how it brings together so many different people from the community. You’ll see serious runners trying to beat personal records, families walking together, veterans participating, kids running around before the race starts, and groups just there to support the mission behind it all. The course itself runs through some of the best parts of Lakeside Park, which honestly makes it one of the better places you could possibly have a race in Fond du Lac.

For anyone thinking about signing up this year, online registration is open right up until race day, and participants can also register the morning of the event. Packet pickup takes place Friday, May 22, at Attitude Sports in Fond du Lac, with race-day pickup available Saturday morning before the races begin. If you’ve never done the Salute the Troops Race before, I’d honestly recommend trying it at least once. Even if you’re not a runner, it’s one of those events that reminds you how strong the Fond du Lac community really is.