Meet Team USO Running the 2026 New York City Marathon

Meet Team USO Running the 2026 New York City Marathon The USO is excited to once again have a team at the 2026 TCS New York City Marathon! Three runners will represent Team USO on Nov. 1, 2026, including two active-duty service member and one very dedicated military supporter.

The runners not only have to run 26.2 miles through all five boroughs, but they also have to fundraise on behalf of the USO. The goal is to raise $50,000 to assist the USO in its mission to strengthen the well-being of the people serving in America’s military and their families.

Let’s Meet the Runners

Mykela Crane is an Army Captain, a proud USO Ambassador and an avid runner based in Boston, Massachusetts. Mykela currently serves as a Company Commander in the Massachusetts Army National Guard, leading 140+ Soldiers, and works as a Senior HR Business Partner at Amazon. She lives in Boston with her husband Patrick, also a Captain in the Army Reserves, and their son, Paddy. Mykela is running the 2026 NYC Marathon in memory of her beloved dog, Maverick, who passed away earlier this year. Maverick was a proud participant in the USO Canine Program, which brings the comfort and unconditional love of therapy dogs to service members and military families at 260+ USO Centers around the globe. For many in the military community, having a pet isn’t possible due to frequent moves, deployments, or housing restrictions, and the USO Canine Program fills that gap. “The services, benefits, and opportunities the USO offers make a huge difference in our service members’ lives,” she said. “Wherever we go, they’re there like a ray of sunshine. Running 26.2 miles in Maverick’s memory to support programs like the USO Canine Program is the greatest tribute I can give him, and a huge honor.”

Matthew Garza is an active-duty U.S. Air Force servicemember originally from Sugar Land, Texas. A former trumpet player with the U.S. Air Force Band of the Golden West, he now serves as a Recruiting Flight Chief for Brooklyn and Staten Island. While stationed in Germany, Garza worked closely with USO Stuttgart, volunteering at events, teaching cooking classes, and even trading his uniform for an Easter Bunny costume each year for USO parades and community egg hunts. The 2026 TCS New York City Marathon will be Garza’s second marathon. A three-time Ironman 70.3 finisher, he also works as a cycle coach and group fitness instructor with Lifetime Fitness in Brooklyn. During the marathon, he plans to carry the names of friends and family members who have served in the military, combining a personal endurance challenge with an opportunity to support the military community that has shaped his life.

Howard Teich is running for service, resilience & the USO! At 79, attorney and civic activist Howard Teich is preparing to run the TCS New York City Marathon with Team USO—and this race will be unlike any other. On November 1, Howard will cross the finish line of his fourth marathon while celebrating his 80th birthday. For Howard, this run is about far more than 26.2 miles. It is about service, resilience, gratitude, and giving back. Howard has devoted much of his life to civic engagement and community service. He was instrumental in establishing the Friends of the NYC Women’s Veterans Grove in Central Park, honoring the service and sacrifice of women veterans. He currently serves as Chair of the Greater New York Chamber of Commerce, the Manhattan Jewish Historical Initiative, and New Democratic Dimensions, and as a Board or Advisory member of the National Action Network, SAIL4TH 250, the Association on American Indian Affairs, and the New York Board of Rabbis, among other organizations. Howard’s marathon journey also carries a deeply personal story of resilience. In the aftermath of 9/11, Howard spent the first few days helping wherever he could at Ground Zero, simply doing what he could as a New Yorker to serve his city. In the months that followed, he found himself unable to run even 100 feet. This marathon represents his return at full tilt—a celebration of perseverance, determination, and the belief that setbacks do not have to define us. This November, Howard won’t simply be running a marathon. He’ll be running for service, for resilience, for America, and for those who serve it.

To support Team USO at the TCS New York City Marathon visit https://bit.ly/USONYCMarathon26