Going the Distance Run for Brain Injury

The first Memorial Day run was held in 1988 and honored Amy Thompson, a remarkable young woman whose courage, forgiveness, and will to live gave hope to all affected by brain injury.

Amy was shot in an attempted robbery on Halloween night in 1986. Her injuries were devastating, but her will to live was even greater. For more than 3 years, Amy fought to live a full life despite having a brain injury. After Amy’s unexpected death in 1989, her friends and family, along with BIAKS, maintained the run as a testament to her spirit of hope. She was an inspiration to everyone who knew her.

In 2018 the Memorial Day Run was renamed from The Amy Thompson Run to Going the Distance for Brain Injury. The run continues as a tribute to the courage and determination of all individuals who’ve been affected by a brain injury.

Each year a different honoree is chosen to represent the same traits that Amy Thompson demonstrated.

Featuring a 10K, 5K, 1.5 mile walk & the Fun4kids event, GTD also offers a virtual option for individuals who cannot attend in-person.

The forerunner of today’s Memorial Day event, The Amy Thompson Run for Brain Injury, began in 1987 with a few hundred participants. Over time, this run which spotlights traumatic brain injury, has grown to include more than a thousand runners each year and funds programs and services for those affected by brain injury.

This year the 37th Memorial Day Run will focus attention on teams that honor or memorialize someone who’s had a brain injury. Please contact Heather Carbaugh, hcarbaugh@bia-ks.org to provide us with information about your team and the individual being honored or memorialized. Whether it’s making a donation, sponsoring a team or registering and running the 10K, 5K or Walk for Thought, your involvement makes a difference. Click on the links below to get started.

Packet Pickup will be Saturday, May 23, 2026 from 10:00am to 2:00pm, at a location to be determined. The unclaimed packets can be picked up on the morning of the race from 7:00am to 8:00am.