The inaugural 5K Louisville H.E.R.O. – Honor Earned. Remembrance Owed. – Run/Walk/Ruck will honor military personnel who have died while serving and those who died because they have borne the battle, said Jason Beare, race organizer and research manager with the University of Louisville’s Cardiovascular Innovation Institute.

The family-friendly event welcomes participants of all fitness levels, ages and abilities and will be held at UofL’s Track and Field Stadium, 2125 S. Floyd St.

Proceeds will benefit the newly established UofL Veteran and Dependent Scholarship Fund, as well as Veterans Club Inc. The 5K route will leave the track and field stadium, take participants through the University of Louisville campus and finish on the track. There also are options for participants to take part in virtual runs on the

All races begin at 8:30 a.m., Saturday, June 4. Advance registration is available on the race website. Packet pick-up will be held Friday, June 3, from 2 to 6 p.m. at Mission BBQ, 4607 Shelbyville Road, and from 7:30-8:30 a.m. on race day at Cardinal Park, located adjacent to the track stadium.

Cost is $20 for all active military and veteran personnel and $25 for all others. Children 12 and under can race free of charge in the 100-meter Kids Run.

All finishers will receive a commemorative coin. The top male and female age-group finisher also will receive an award. The age categories are 13-19, 20-29, 30-39, 40-49, 50-59, 60-69, and 70 and over. 

That’s the inspiration behind the Ravenous Race, a 5K race and 1-mile walk scheduled for Sept. 22, in Bowling Green, Kentucky.

Both events kick off at 6 a.m. with day-of registration followed by packet and bib pick-up. The starter’s gun will fire for both events at 7:30 a.m. The race start and end points are Chaney’s Dairy Barn, 9191 Nashville Rd. in Bowling Green.

Pre-event registration is available on .

Proceeds from the event go to support research carried out by the where Baer’s friend Dean Valentini was treated. Diagnosed with a rare form of cancer, internal melanoma, Valentini traveled from his home in Bowling Green to Louisville to obtain the specialized care he needed from staff at the Brown Cancer Center.

Valentini lost his fight on Jan. 7, but Baer and Valentini’s wife Deana were inspired to do something to honor Dean, who was a dedicated marathon runner himself.

“Deana and I are passionate about the research, particularly in melanoma, going on at the James Graham Brown Cancer Center,” Baer said. “I wanted to do something in Dean’s memory, and this race seemed most appropriate.”

The event name reflects another of Dean’s obsessions: A Baltimore native, he was a lifelong fan of the Baltimore Ravens.

Baer is currently signing up race sponsors in several categories to support the event. For details, call 270-839-1029 or email.