Philadelphia Marathon: Saluting (more!) veterans who run

Editor's Note: In celebration of Veterans Day, Sports Doc asked for a few stories of veterans who will be participating in next week's Philadelphia Marathon weekend. 

U.S, Marine Corps Veteran, Running First Marathon with wife Gina. 

Scott Moyer is a veteran of the United States Marine Corps and is running The Philadelphia Marathon alongside his wife Gina. 

Scott joined the Marines in 1999. He had been offered a scholarship to college to play ice hockey but instead decided to join the Marines, and within days of signing up he left for basic training. His parents were a bit shocked. He then deployed to Ashraf, Iraq in 2006. He was in Iraq for 14 months, was in the military for nine years before he met Gina (they got married in 2011)

"I believe the military shaped Scott to be the man he is today," says Gina. When Scott and I met I had four children from a previous marriage who he has raised as his own and I think being in the military and guiding so many soldiers under him prepared Scott for a big family. He works selflessly everyday to do the best he can for our family. He puts me and our children before anything.

As for them as a couple, running is their outlet. As you can imagine, finding alone time can be hard with five kids (Gina had four from a previous relationship and Gina and Scott had a baby girl last year). So when they go for a long run it's their time to catch up and talk.

Scott has encouraged Gina to run this marathon, which will be a first us them. Scott ran the Philly half marathon two years ago and they both ran the Broad street run this past year. They intend to finish the Philly Marathon hand in hand!

In Gina's Words:

"Scott is truly a hero in my eyes and in our children's eyes. I thank God everyday Scott came home safe, and we met and brought our beautiful little girl into this world!"

Combat photographer in Vietnam, running the Half Marathon.

John Andescavage was a combat photographer with the 221st Pictorial in Vietnam. Someone in his unit made a video and put it on youtube.

As for running, it started with a family relay team for the NJ Marathon in 2008. His favorite distance is the half marathon. He has run a full, but will be doing the Half Marathon on November 17. He goes with his wife to Zap Fitness running camp every summer; even though he says he's not a runner and does it just to keep his wife company, she thinks he secretly likes it.

They went to a reunion last year. It was the first one since the war. They made a website here — John's  photographs are under "pictures,"  "collection #2."  The first few in the collection are of him.
 

Army Veteran, currently working for Army as civilian. Running marathon to raise funds for Fisher House Foundation, serve families of service members recovering from wounds or long-term illness.

Michael is a retired Army officer, currently working for the Army as a civilian. He is running the Philadelphia Marathon to support Team Fisher House. The Fisher House is the "Ronald McDonald House" for the military. The Fisher House Foundation has built over 50 Fisher Houses in the United States and overseas to serve families of service members recovering from wounds or long-term illness.

You may have recently seen the Fisher House Foundation in the news. The government shutdown temporarily stopped the payments of death gratuities to families of 29 of our soldiers killed in action. Fisher House stepped in, and wrote checks of $25,000 to each of those 29 families. These were outright gifts, not loans.

Michael runs for Team Fisher House, which supports runners at several big races every year such as the Army Ten Mile and the Marine Corps Marathon. He is a community fundraiser, which means that Michael participates by running in other races—he completed the Philly Rock & Roll Half Marathon in September, and the Hershey Half Marathon in October. He has done several triathlons and other races over the spring and summer, all raising money toward his personal goal of $2,500 this year for Team Fisher House. The BEST part about team Fisher House is that 96% of all money raised actually ends up going to the charity itself—very low overhead.

» READ MORE: Linda and Shane Reilly

Shane missed the Marathon last year as he was in Kuwait, but will be running the half this year as Linda will run the full.

Linda, 37 is born and raised in South Philly but currently lives in Carlisle, PA. Reilly's husband, Shane is a major in the US Army and is running the half. Linda is running the full. They are both are part of the Run for Autism team and run in honor of our son. Last year Shane was deployed in Kuwait so he could not run. The whole family will be participating as their daughter Charlotte, 9, and Alexander will both participate in the Kids Fun Run.

Navy Veteran, local business-owner running second Philadelphia Marathon

Philadelphia native and business owner Glenn Mueller (Mueller Chocolates) served in the US Navy onboard the iconic USS ENTERPRISE as an airman on the flight deck 1994-1997. His deployment in 1996 taking part In operations in the Adriatic and the Arabian gulf.

This will be Glenn's second full Philly marathon, he has also participated in the Half Marathon.

Stay tuned for more 2013 Philadelphia Marathon coverage at philly.com/phillymarathon.

Read more Sports Doc for Sports Medicine and Fitness.