It’s 408K Race Week, the first event of the virtual San José Series! Our Run Local community is bringing our leaderboard to life with not only their 8K submissions this week, but also their inspiring daily mileage as they unlock all 18 San José neighborhoods in our 408 kilometer (253.5 miles) Challenge.

Today on Run Local Wednesday we’re celebrating our 10th 9.5 Year Anniversary of the 408K benefiting the Pat Tillman Foundation. On IGTV, J.T. welcomed two Pat Tillman Scholars as well as San José’s own Piña brothers with a special live mariachi song. Learn more about the guests and tune into @RunLocalEvents IGTV ?

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IGTV Guests

Kate Hoit – 2012 Tillman Scholar

At 17, Kate decided she wanted to be a part of the U.S. Army Reserve. Three years later, she deployed to Iraq. In a public affairs job for the base newspaper, Kate worked as a writer and photojournalist. This ignited a desire to write more about the war experience, and that passion continued after she returned home.

Going overseas and witnessing the realities of war had changed her perspective about life and the world around her. One of the greatest lessons she’s learned from the military is to keep moving forward. A writer, by both profession and hobby, she has contributed to The New York Times, TIME Magazine and Huffington Post. 

Adrian Kinsella – 2012 Tillman Scholar

In Afghanistan, Adrian became close with his translator, Mohammad. After returning home, Adrian discovered that his friend had been marked by the Taliban for collaborating with the U.S. Military. That’s when Adrian, a then-aspiring lawyer, began a three-year campaign to bring Mohammad to America, finally succeeding in January 2014. Later that same year, after Adrian helped bring national attention to the subject, Mohammad’s mother and seven younger siblings joined him in the United States. Today they are living in California studying, working, and living the American Dream.

https://youtu.be/9SDb6c3kPp8

Jose Piña – Mariachi & Runner

One of the defining experiences of the 408K is the Mariachi Mile. Jose Piña has graced our event with his music and kicked off the event in 2020 with his band pictured above. He’s also an incredibly fast runner, clocking a 29:25.16 10,000 meter personal best in 2018 on the track for the San Jose State Spartans, the 4th fastest time in school history. Jose was also a standout at Lincoln High School where he broke the school records in both the 1600 meters and 3200 meters.