She's going to run for Robby

A year after husband's death in Iraq, her 5K will raise funds for others

Sunday, April 6, 2008

By Marcie Young
Charlotte Observer Staff Writer

Michelle and Robby Bowman had plans.

They were going to climb Mount Rainier, have a baby and keep up with their morning runs around the lake near their Washington state home.

But then, on April 13, 2007, Michelle Bowman heard a knock on her front door and opened it to find an Army chaplain.

Her husband, 29-year-old Sgt. Larry "Robby" Bowman, a Granite Falls native, had been killed in Iraq by a roadside bomb.

Nearly a year has passed since her husband died, and Michelle Bowman still has plans. She's going to scale Mount Rainier in August, and on the anniversary of his death next Sunday, Bowman is hosting a 5K run through the Lenoir greenway in his honor.

"The last thing I wanted to do was spend the day alone just sitting and sulking," said Bowman, also a Caldwell County native. "The whole community was greatly affected when Robby died, and I didn't want the day to simply pass by. This is a way to celebrate his life."

Running was something the Bowmans picked up together. Robby Bowman had never been much of a runner before his joined the Army, and Michelle Bowman started jogging with him when they got married. It was just one of the things they enjoyed doing as a couple, she said.

"On the weekends, we'd get up and go for a run around the lake," Bowman said. "It was something we did together."

So, when Bowman started thinking about something she could do to honor her husband a year after his death, a race -- which she's named "Robby's Run" -- seemed like the perfect option.

Bowman said she is expecting more than 100 people to show up at the event, which she plans to continue every year. The proceeds, she said, will be donated to the Intrepid Fallen Heroes Fund, which helps the families of soldiers injured or killed during war.

Four soldiers from Robby Bowman's unit, the 513th Transportation Company based out of Fort Lewis, Wash., are planning on traveling to Lenoir for the event. They include Staff Sgt. Eric Sears, who was stationed with Bowman in Iraq and has named his son after his fallen friend.

"He was a pretty big impact on my life," said Sears, who is in South Carolina and training to be an Army recruiter. "I just want to be (at the race) for the support factor. It's a great idea, and I wish things like this were done for more soldiers."

Want to go?
Robby's Run, honoring Sgt. Larry "Robby" Bowman, will start at 2 p.m. April 13 at the Lenoir greenway, 710 Powell Road.

Early registration is $15 and race day registration is $20. Participants can choose to either walk or run the 5K. Registration for the 1-mile fun run is $10. Donations are also accepted; proceeds from the event will go to the Intrepid Heroes fund, which offers assistance to families of soldiers killed or injured during war.

New Life Baptist Church in Lenoir is hosting a barbecue after the run.

Register at New Life Baptist, 2111 Walt Arney Road or at Fleet Feet Sports in Hickory, 1776 N. Center St. Details: 828-728-1473.

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