Update March 2026: Now 80 years old, Sid Busch has run 206 full marathons and 1135 half marathons and countless 5k and 10k races — over 20,265 miles, enough to run across the United States mainland more than SEVEN times! ...and that doesn't count the 5k and 10k races.
Update September 2020: Now 75 years old, Sid Busch has run 205 full marathons and 836 half marathons — over 16,000 miles, enough to run across the United States mainland more than five times!
Senior Chief Sid Busch, US Navy Ret., is a valued friend and a real patriot. To Sid, every day is Memorial Day and a time to honor veterans, especially the fallen heroes. Most weekends, Sid runs either a full marathon or half marathon, usually carrying a flag, in honor of a fallen hero. After the race, he makes a very emotional presentation of his finisher’s medal to the family. Sid has been heard to say, “I have running shoes three times older than some of the kids I run for.”
In addition to his marathon endeavors, he volunteered on the USS Clamagore at Patriots Point in Mt. Pleasant, SC — The Clamagore was one of the submarines on which he served. He’s been a frequent contributor and valued friend and source.
Thanks to Chuck A. for finding the first video, added for Memorial Day 2015. The third video was added January 24, 2012, when Sid appeared on local TV to discuss the Clamagore and the return of the Destroyer Laffey to Patriots Point after dry dock repairs. Click a title below the player to select a video.
The article below is a reprint from the 2011 Under Armour Baltimore Running Festival program, detailing how and why Sid dedicates each marathon to a fallen hero and presents his finisher’s medal to the soldier’s family afterward.
Under Armour Baltimore Running Festival 2011 — Runner Profile
Sid Busch spent 26 years on US Navy submarines as a sonar technician. Patrolling off Russia during the height of the Cold War, his command’s mission was to covertly monitor the enemy. The subs he served on carried more nuclear firepower than any ship or aircraft in US history.
Busch said, “If we ever had to engage, then we didn’t do our job. Fortunately, we never had to go on the attack.”
In terms of exercise there are not many options when you are aboard a Navy sub for up to nine months at a time. His typical shift was six hours on watch and twelve hours off duty. A good portion of his off time was consumed by putting miles on the treadmill — practically the only “entertainment” on the submarine.
How he got into long-distance running on land was partially by accident, and partially because he was tested. In 1983 he ruptured a disc in his back and was facing a medical discharge from submarine duty.
He made a deal with his commanding officer that if he could finish a marathon, he could continue on as a sonar technician. Busch completed his first-ever marathon at Hunter Army Airfield in Savannah, GA in January 1984 and continued his Naval career before retiring in 1991.
He didn’t retire from running, however. Busch competes in his 180th career marathon — and fourth Baltimore marathon — on October 15th. “The things I love about Baltimore most are running through the scenic neighborhoods and the Inner Harbor and, believe it or not, the police officers on the course. In Baltimore they are more like cheerleaders. I hope they know how much this helps propel runners to the finish line,” he said.
The Goose Creek, SC native runs about eight to ten marathons a year, with an eye on completing at least 200. Starting at 3AM he logs 60–70 miles per week, only taking Sundays off. About five years ago he decided to go from 20,000 leagues under the sea to shouting from a mountaintop about his new life mission. He did some online research and met a man named Roland Bower who started a movement called “Running in Honor of Fallen Heroes.”
Now Busch runs every marathon in honor of a fallen hero. After the race, he hand delivers his finisher’s medal to the soldier’s family. “It’s a very emotional experience, but I know how much it means to these soldiers’ families.”
Running veteran Sid Busch plans to complete career marathon #180 in Baltimore in honor of Cpl. Kurt Shea, USMC, who lost his life on May 10th, 2010 while defending his country’s freedom in Helmand Province, Afghanistan.
Cpl. Kurt Shea, USMC
The selection process is by no means formal. Busch researches local papers and, once a certain amount of time has passed, reaches out to a soldier’s family. Naturally it’s too difficult for many families to endure. For those who agree, it becomes a way of keeping their son’s or daughter’s memory alive.
Even though Busch doesn’t personally know the soldiers he runs for, he is very much emotionally attached during every step of the journey. As a veteran himself, he knows the sacrifice it takes to defend one’s nation.
He’s dedicating this year’s Baltimore Marathon to Cpl. Kurt Shea, a US Marine who lost his life at 21 defending his country’s freedom in Afghanistan. The Shea family resides in Frederick, Maryland. Busch hopes to form a group of runners for the 2012 Under Armour Baltimore Running Festival who will join his public awareness movement. But his ultimate wish is for the list of fallen soldiers to stop growing.
Busch concluded: “I just wish I could run with them instead of for them. In the meantime I will run until my body falls apart.”
