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FLAG · PRE-LAUNCH · STARTS JUNE 13SAN FRANCISCO → WASHINGTON, D.C. · 3,000 MILESNOMINATIONS OPEN · HONOR A VETERAN250 RUNNERS · 22 DAYS · ARRIVING JULY 4, 2026AMERICA'S 250TH BIRTHDAY
FLAG · PRE-LAUNCH · STARTS JUNE 13SAN FRANCISCO → WASHINGTON, D.C. · 3,000 MILESNOMINATIONS OPEN · HONOR A VETERAN250 RUNNERS · 22 DAYS · ARRIVING JULY 4, 2026AMERICA'S 250TH BIRTHDAY
Relay For America
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Stanford · Inaugural1st Annual · 2026

24 hours.
One track.
For those who gave everything.

A continuous Memorial Day relay around the Stanford track. Sundown Sunday to sundown Monday. Walk, jog, or run a 15-minute slot in honor of the fallen.

When
Sun 8:15 PM → Mon 8:15 PM
Where
Cobb Track & Angell Field
Closing Ceremony
8:15 PM Mon · Reading of names & guest speaker
Sign up. Takes 60 secondsView my existing signup
Sign-ups openTotal slots 96Hours of relay 24Stanford fallen honored 486

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The event

A vigil in motion.

From sundown Sunday to sundown Monday, the Stanford track will never be empty. Walkers, joggers, and runners passing the baton in 15-minute shifts, through the afternoon, through the night, into Memorial Day. Closing with the reading of names.

1
15-minute slots
96 slots across 24 hours. Take one, take three, or take a full hour.
2
Any pace welcome
Walk, jog, or run. The pace doesn't matter. The showing up does.
3
Bring people
Multiple people can share a slot. Bring a friend. Bring your kids.
4
Free
No registration fee. Open to anyone, Stanford or not.
Who we honor

The Stanford fallen.

486 servicemembers affiliated with Stanford have died in service to the country, remembered on the plaques inside Memorial Auditorium. Every one of them will be honored at the closing ceremony.

Stanford Law School '17
Maj. Christopher “Tripp” Zanetis
U.S. Air National Guard · 106th Rescue Wing
Killed March 15, 2018 when his HH-60 Pave Hawk helicopter crashed in western Iraq during a mission against ISIS. A pilot, FDNY firefighter, and lawyer, he was 37. At Stanford, he was co-president of the Stanford Law Veterans Organization.
Stanford Asia Studies '17
Maj. Stewart “Stewie” McGurk
U.S. Army · Foreign Area Officer
An Explosive Ordnance Disposal officer who deployed to Iraq and Afghanistan, then became a China Foreign Area Officer. He graduated top of his Stanford class. Died December 12, 2018 while serving in Mongolia. Survived by his wife and two sons.
Stanford '94
Maj. Michael E. Weston
USMC · DEA Special Agent
A Marine Corps officer who served three combat tours in Iraq before joining the DEA. Killed October 26, 2009 when his U.S. military helicopter crashed during a counter-narcotics mission in western Afghanistan. He was 37.

Want to add a Stanford alum, family member, or friend to the closing ceremony reading?

Add a name when you sign up
Questions

Good to know.

Where do I park and check in?+
Galvez Lot and Roth Way Garage are closest and free on Memorial Day weekend. Check in at the southwest corner of Cobb Track. Arrive 10 minutes before your slot for your bib. Detailed parking emailed 48 hours before.
What if I can't make my slot?+
Let us know as early as you can so we can release the slot. No penalty, but the heads-up matters so we keep full coverage.
What if it rains?+
Rain or shine. The people we honor didn't get to opt out. Lightning pauses the relay; everything else continues. Updates via email and SMS to all participants.
Can I bring kids or family?+
Yes. Spectators welcome anytime. Kids must be on the track with an adult. Strollers are fine on the inside lanes.
Is there food and water?+
Water, coffee, and snacks at the check-in tent 24 hours. Free Memorial Day breakfast 7–9 AM Monday for anyone running an overnight slot.
I can't run. Can I still help?+
Yes. Walking counts. That's the whole point. If you can't attend, you can submit a name to be read at the closing ceremony when you sign up.
Is this connected to Relay For America?+
Yes. This is the inaugural event in the Relay For America series, leading to the transcontinental America 250 Relay finishing July 4, 2026 in Washington, D.C.
Why those hours? Why 8:15 PM?+
Approximate Memorial Day sundown in Palo Alto. The relay runs sundown-to-sundown to mirror a true memorial vigil, with the closing ceremony at the exact moment the last light leaves Memorial Day.

Take a slot.

96 slots. Walk, jog, or run. Any pace. Any time. One small act of remembrance.

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