'Remember our fallen soldiers': Runner participate in All American Marathon to honor loved ones

Glorygrace Dickinson runs the half marathon for a very special reason.

"For me, it's a way of honoring his memory and letting everybody know that his memory still remains alive," she said of her late husband.

Staff Sgt. Michael Dickinson was killed in 2006 by a sniper in Iraq.

Glorygrace Dickinson is now part of national nonprofit called Wear Blue: Run to Remember, which honors the service and sacrifice of the American military.

Each year, one mile of the race is lined with American flags and pictures of service members who made the ultimate sacrifice. For many, it's the most important part of the race.

"They're like, 'He's down there.' So, I go running to his picture, and like, I don't stop until I find his picture and his flag," she said.

For Carolin Drost, the race is personal. She runs for veteran Todd Worley, a former member of the 82nd Airborne Division. The two ran together last year.

"Three weeks after the race, he killed himself due to PTSD, and I run every race since then in his honor," Drost said.

"For me, it is just always to remember our fallen soldiers and our families as well," Dickinson said.

The fifth annual All American Marathon and Mike-to-Mike Half Marathon will be held Sunday in Fayetteville.