Troops honor fallen soldiers with run and hike at Ādaži base

More than 500 soldiers took part in a memorial endurance run at the Ādaži military base on Friday, while families and fellow service members gathered in the base chapel to remember Latvian and allied troops killed while carrying out combat missions, LSM reported.

The run, called “Iron Men,” was held for the 10th time and has become a tradition. Participants also donated money to the families of fallen soldiers.

Event organiser Lieutenant Colonel Uldis Gūtmanis said the event honours historical traditions and recalls the Auto-tank Brigade, a unit from the 1930s whose soldiers serving on armoured vehicles were known as “iron men.” He said the event also links to soldiers’ night-time traditions of remembering those who died for Latvia while carrying out combat missions during the country’s independence.

Participant Rihards said he wanted to test his endurance, develop physically and mentally, and remember the fallen. He said the challenge facing participants could not be compared with what the soldiers endured before they died.