FORT WORTH
The Cowtown Marathon has been a Fort Worth staple since it debuted in 1978 and while many runners participate for the challenge, Zach Foster and others wear blue and run to honor those important to them.
Foster, an 29-year-old Odessa resident, was initially planning on running the race with his brother Joseph Howell, who died with cancer at age 30 on Feb. 22, a week before the marathon.
Instead, Foster ran with a stroller with 100 pounds of weight in it to simulate how it would’ve felt running with his brother. Crossing the finish line Foster was emotional for Foster, , who embraced his family and explained why he ran the race.
“So we only got to do one run together and during that run, I told him, wherever you’re at, I’m gonna do this run, whether you with me, whether you’re not with me, whether you’re cheering on, I’m gonna do this run for you,” Foster said. “ I’m a man of my word, and so, so I had to stick to it, no matter the emotions I was feeling at the beginning, at the end, I was gonna finish it for him.” .
Foster i received a special moment of recognition before he ran, with cheers from those in attendance .
“I meant a lot because I was posting on Instagram, because the whole reason was we were trying to raise funds for him to go to a clinical trial in France, and so I started posting on Instagram, just saying, hey, if you guys would donate, I’m going to post the journey. And so just to have everybody rally around, it was really special because the sign said, This is Joseph Howell’s race. It’s not about me at all, like I said, I can do as many as I can ever do in the rest of my life. So it was just really special to me to feel the support and just be able to pour it back into him,” said Foster, “I don’t think it was just me. I think he definitely was helping me, helping me push. Sidebar, we had a flat tire. I had to change a tube and everything. He was a very, very stubborn person, and so I also think that was kind of his doing, just as some dark humor to say, hey, keep on working.”
Foster was supported by family in attendance who came out for support.
“I have an older sister. He was my older brother, and then I have a younger brother and two younger sisters. So it’s a big family. We’ve always been really close to each other, obviously, you butt heads, just like any other sibling. But I mean, we’d all go to battle for one another. So that’s kind of just what I wanted to prove today to everybody. I have a little slogan that I’ve said, Go get yours. Go get yours, and then for this, I was telling people, go do something for somebody that can’t do it for themselves,” said Foster.
Similarly, Erica Grone, Emily Lemoine and Mike Donnelly also ran with wear blue: run to remember, and did a Circle of Remembrance before Saturday and Sunday’s races.
They’re a part of wear blue: run to remember, which “creates a living memorial through the steps of our athletes and the support of our volunteers,” according to the national organization’s website.
Grace Parker crosses the finish line during the 48th running of the Cowtown Marathon at the Will Rogers Memorial Center in Fort Worth, Texas, Sunday, Mar. 01, 2026. Bob Booth Special to the Star-Telegram
Lemoine talked about how this organization, with help from her, pushed her mother to run her first marathon at 53 to honor her son Staff Sergeant Tanner Grone who died in 2023.
“After my brother passed away, I was just looking for an organization that I could feel a part of as a sibling and wear blue gave that to me, and more, much more, and so when we were at the San Francisco marathon weekend, my mom said that she’s not a runner and she could never do it,” Lemoine recalled. “And I told her, she told Tanner and I we could do anything that we set our minds to. So she could, too…. Now she’s ran a half-marathon.”
Grone explained why the organization was important for them and what inspired them to get involved.
“It’s a point of your life that there’s a great loss, and you don’t want to keep moving. And this pushes you to get up out of the house, off that couch, and just move and think about those memories you have with your child. And so it’s helped. It’s helped me. It’s definitely helped Emily and every single person that has been part of this group, It’s amazing,” Grone said.
Donnelly, a 31-year Air Force veteran shared similar sentiments when saying why he decided to partner up with wear blue: run to remember to honor Boswell High School graduate and Green Beret William Brown.
Mike Donnelly crosses the finish line after competing in the 48th running of the Cowtown Marathon at the Will Rogers Memorial Center in Fort Worth, Texas, Sunday, Mar. 01, 2026. Bob Booth Special to the Star-Telegram
“I met up with wear blue about three years ago here at the race, and I just felt that their foundation of what they want to do is what I believe in honoring the veterans that didn’t come home, or the ones that came home and lost their fight to the demons, and I just feel it’s a really good organization,” said Donnelly.
All three said anybody interesting in volunteering or supporting the organization should go to wear blue: run to remembers website to learn how they can help.
This story was originally published March 1, 2026 at 4:21 PM.
Fort Worth Star-Telegram
Lawrence Dow is a digital sports reporter from Philadelphia. He graduated with a master’s degree in journalism from USC. He’s passionate about movies and is always looking for a great book. He covers the Texas Rangers and other sports.