Registration is now open for a 5K race that’s been held in downtown Seminole for the past decade in honor of a local man who died in the line of duty.

The 2023 Bret D. Isenhower Memorial 5K is slated for 8 a.m. on Saturday, May 13 in Veterans Park, just north of the Seminole Municipal Building. Even though the run is still over a month away, its organizer, Krysten Isenhower, says participants should register by April 29 to be guaranteed a race day t-shirt.

Isenhower, a 2003 graduate of Seminole High School, joined the National Guard in 2006. He was killed on Sept. 9, 2011 when his unit came under attack by a small, armed force in Zurmat, Afghanistan, in an eastern province close to Taliban strongholds in western Pakistan.

“My brother was the greatest man that I’ve ever known,” Krysten said in a previous interview. “Putting this race on in his memory shows that by the amount of people who come to run and remember his sacrifice.”

Krysten said she remembers her brother as being selfless, and the race is her way of honoring the legacy Bret left behind.

“He always put others before himself. He loved his country, family, and friends. Coordinating this race is a way for me to give back to him, to ensure his legacy lives on, and to impact the lives of all those who run,” she stated.

When he was not serving in the U.S. Army on Operations Iraqi Freedom and Operation Enduring Freedom, Bret was a firefighter with the Seminole Fire Department and a dispatcher at the 911 Center.

Last year, U.S. Senator James Lankford and U.S. Representative Stephanie Bice each introduced legislation to change the name of the Seminole Post Office to the Sergeant Bret D. Isenhower Memorial Post Office Building. The senate version of the bill was cosponsored by former Sen. Jim Inhofe and the House bill was cosponsored by Representatives Tom Cole, Kevin Hern, Frank Lucas and Markwayne Mullin. The senate bill was read twice and referred to the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs and the house referred to the Committee on Oversight and Reform.

The race not only honors the memory of Krysten’s brother, but also raises grant money for area students. All proceeds will go to the Sgt. Bret D. Isenhower Memorial Scholarship Fund to reward a deserving senior each year who plans to continue their education in a field of service.

This year marks the 10th anniversary of the run, and according to Krysten, well over 100 runners participated in 2022. A social media site (Facebook.com/ BretIsen5K) was created to help promote the event as well as provide information for those interested in participating. A link to an online registration form can also be found on the Facebook site. Raceday packets will be available for pick up on Friday, May 12 from 6 a.m. – 7 p.m. at the Seminole Public Library and on the morning of the race at the municipal building.