US Army veteran and wife ruck Boston to honor fallen service members

Keith Waterfield and his wife are running the 130th Boston Marathon for Tough Ruck.

Keith Waterfield is running the 2026 Boston Marathon.

April 13, 2026 | 5:00 PM

1 minute to read

In our “Why I’m Running” series, Boston Marathon athletes share what’s inspiring them to make the 26.2-mile trek from Hopkinton to Boston. Looking for more race day content? Sign up for Boston.com’s pop-up Boston Marathon newsletter.

Name: Keith Waterfield
Age: 54
From: Salisbury, Mass.

I’ve been serving in the military since July of 1989 — more than 36 years of service — and throughout my career I’ve always looked for ways to give back and support fellow service members and their families.

Running has always been one of the ways I manage stress and stay grounded, so when I discovered the Tough Ruck Marathon, it felt like the perfect way to combine something personal with a larger mission.

Tough Ruck allows participants to carry weight along the course to honor those who have made the ultimate sacrifice while raising funds for families of the fallen, military, and first responder families.

This will be my third time participating after completing Tough Ruck in 2019 and 2022. What makes this year even more meaningful is that my wife will be rucking alongside me. We both serve — she in the Navy and I in the Army — so the mission behind Tough Ruck is something that is deeply personal to both of us.

The military has been our life for decades. Supporting this event is our way of giving back to a community that has given so much to us. We hope that by raising awareness and funds, we can help the families of those who served and sacrificed.

Editor’s note: This entry may have been lightly edited for clarity or grammar.

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