On Oct. 13 the Bearkat Battalion will send four cadets to run in the Army Ten-Miler in Washington, D.C.

The Army Ten-Miler started in 1985 and attracts over 35,000 runners and 900 teams from around the world. The proceeds from the race go to benefit Family and Morale, Welfare and Recreation programs for the Army. To date over $7.3 million has been generated for these programs.

Each year over 100 ROTC programs participate in the race. This will be the first year that the Sam Houston State University ROTC program will enter the race. The cadets involved are senior Abraham Padron, senior Prescott King, junior Oscar Edo-Terradas and junior Tristin Chudej.

The cadets will be escorted by Captain Cody Holmes, a cadre member for the ROTC program and previously assigned to the Old Guard in Washington, D.C.

Other participants of the race include military, civilians, wheel chair athletes and wounded warrior athletes.

“I am eager to see the purity of the American and Army spirit spread out over thousands of people running and cheering,” King said.

The race will start Oct. 13 at the Pentagon, passing by landmarks such as the Kennedy Center for Performing Arts, the Holocaust Memorial Museum, the Jefferson Memorial and more.

“[I’m] thankful for being provided the opportunity to participate in such a huge Army tradition and visit one of the most iconic and historical cities in the country,” Terradas, an international student from Spain, said. “I am excited to see how well we are going to do in the race, since all our hard work and training is surely going to pay off.”

The SHSU cadets train together four times a week to prepare for the race, running anywhere between six to 10 miles every time.

“It is an ecstatic feeling knowing that we are going out to D.C. to represent our school and program,” Padron said. “The training will be well worth it.”

The cadets will leave on Oct. 10 so they have time before the race to tour the city.