In 2023, my (now) wife Annie Blevins and I formed “Russell's Runners” in support of Love Hard as a way to honor her baby cousin, Russell Belcher, who passed away unexpectedly at just 2 years old.

Seeing people we love go through the unimaginable loss of a child weighed heavily on both of us, and Love Hard gave us an outlet to pour energy into so that hopefully we could help make a positive impact in the lives of other families going through a similar loss as the Belchers.

Sadly, last year, our good friends Mike and Kristen Deiters experienced a similar tragedy as their son, Vincent Deiters, passed away due to many complications related to Shwachman-Diamond Syndrome. Vinny was the definition of a fighter - surviving a bone marrow transplant at just 5 months old. Though he was never given a fair shot during his time on Earth, Vinny wouldn't let you know that as he continued to smile, laugh, and play like any toddler would, despite the intense rounds of blood transfusions and hospitalizations he underwent. 

If we're all lucky, we'll be 1% as strong as Vinny at any point in our lives. 

So, we're back for year 4, and with the blessing of both the Belcher and Deiters families, Russell's Runners will be running in honor of two incredible boys who were taken from us too soon. We'll be running in support of two incredible families who continue to show unimaginable strength. And we'll be running with the hope that our efforts positively impact the lives of others in the way that Russell and Vinny impacted all of ours.

Please, join us if you can.