A groundbreaking transcontinental relay will feature 12 veterans who will run 3,000 miles nonstop, carrying a single American flag from San Diego, Calif., to Washington, D.C., in a bid to achieve a world record while promoting the health and wellness of those who have served.
The Old Glory Ultra Relay begins May 2 and will conclude May 17-18 at the future site of the Global War on Terrorism Memorial on the National Mall. The relay has a $1 million fundraising goal to support Team RWB's mission of improving veteran health and wellness.
Among the participants is Navy veteran Peter Consalvi, a former Nuclear Surface Warfare Officer with seven overseas deployments on nuclear-powered aircraft carriers and a destroyer.
The Hereford, Maryland native developed a passion for the outdoors through Boy Scouts and earned the rank of Eagle Scout. He studied physics at the Colorado School of Mines.
“While in college, I developed an interest in nuclear physics, which led me to pursue the Navy’s Nuclear Propulsion Officer Candidate Program while completing my degree,” he said.
After completing nearly six years of active duty, Consalvi was honorably discharged from the Navy in 2023.
“After separating from the Navy, I completed an 18-month, 15,000-mile solo bicycle ride for charity from Mongolia to Spain, then from Miami, Florida to Maryland,” he said. “While cycling through Italy, I saw an email about the Old Glory Ultra Relay. I had completed multiple 100-mile runs while active duty and I love running, so I didn’t hesitate to submit an application.”
A couple of weeks later, Consalvi was interviewed and selected to be one of the 12 runners on the team.
“I finished the big bicycle trip at the end of November 2024. Since then, I transitioned my training from cycling to running,” he said. “I have been strength training and stacking miles. Another key part of my relay preparation has been emphasizing recovery and sleep.”
Beyond physical training, Consalvi has also been communicating with the team, hashing out the logistics and details of how they will pull this off.
“Unfortunately, towards the end of my training, I picked up a nagging hip injury,” he said. “After weeks of physical therapy, dry needling, and doctors’ appointments, I’ve ultimately decided to not risk further injury to myself or letting the team down on the road.”
Instead of running, Consalvi will be taking on the role of crew chief for the team.
“As crew chief, my focus has now transitioned to the bigger picture, managing the runners and ensuring they have everything they need to succeed,” he explained. “My job also includes scouring the route, knowing when and where the teams will transition, and ensuring everyone is informed of any on-the-fly changes that will inevitably happen.”
Consalvi expects reigning in the runners, who are expected to keep a seven-to-eight-minute mile pace throughout the relay, to be the most challenging part of his job.
“Every member of the team is an accomplished endurance athlete and we’re all raring to go,” he said. “So, being smart about not overdoing things is going to be key. Nine days in, crammed in smelly RVs and running over 100 miles at a strong pace, if someone gets a bad night of sleep or gets sick, we have to make sure to take care of each other and not overdo it.”
When Consaliv initially signed up for the Old Glory Ultra Relay, it was clear the event was bigger than himself.
“We’re attempting to do something no one has ever done before,” he said. “It sounded like an adventure and the kind of physical challenge that was right up my alley. But the deeper reason I signed up is to address the physical and mental health crisis our country is facing. That is truly why I’m doing this. In carrying the flag across our country, we hope to inspire Americans to prioritize their health and showcase what the veteran community is all about.”
Consalvi currently lives in Maryland, where he is finishing his first book, a biography of Danuru Sherpa. Team RWB is America's leading health and wellness community for the military-connected community, with 250k members and chapters nationwide.
For route details and relay updates, visit here.
Reach Julia LeDoux at Julia@connectingvets.com.
