Joe Moreno has lost count of the number of times Rock Valley Physical Therapy has picked up the proverbial pieces and put him back together.
“Ankles, knee, shoulders, neck,’’ said the only race director the TBK Bank Quad-Cities Marathon has ever known, the man who founded the Trinity Freedom Run 5K and continues to guide the MercyOne Genesis Firecracker Run.
Though smiling – Moreno is always smiling — Moreno has suffered a plethora of running-related – and life-changing – injuries through the years. And Rock Valley Physical Therapy has successfully helped rehabilitate him each time and returned him back to his love of running and biking.
“Too many times to recall,’’ Moreno said of his many visits to Rock Valley clinics.
A 24-karat gem on all fronts, the 68-year-old former mayor and alderman of East Moline, Illinois, says Rock Valley Physical Therapy’s impact on the Quad-Cities – and its vibrant running scene – with runners treating runners – has been off-the-charts.
Since 2007, Rock Valley Physical Therapy has been the proud sponsor of the TBK Bank Quad Cities Marathon Relay and a bevy of other running events across the bi-state area.
Though Moreno and Rock Valley Physical Therapy have a keen understanding that running events locally cannot survive without sponsorship dollars, the bond between them is far more than just money.
“This (Rock Valley’s relationship with Moreno and the Quad-Cities’ running community) began long ago with (Rock Valley founder) Steve Layer,’’ Moreno said. “Steve’s work and support in the running community allowed us to push forward with a lot of things that were in the preliminary stages and needed the kind of support Rock Valley could provide. Steve and those around him have always been instrumental in anything we have done.
“And I always knew I had a place to get better as well,’’ Moreno added. “Rock Valley has put me back together more times than I can count. The thing is, Rock Valley is so committed to the communities it serves. I see it more with things I am involved with locally, but I know it’s everywhere. It’s a special place. The marathon wouldn’t be in a place where it is without Rock Valley.’’
A dedicated husband, father of four and grandfather, Moreno – despite a self-proclaimed affection for comfort foods – remains committed to his own running and fitness mission.
“I love all that is bad for me,’’ said the ever-upbeat Moreno, whose granddaughter Madelyn Miller, is an elite distance runner nationally at the University of Illinois-Springfield. In true runner fashion, Moreno and his family hosted Miller’s wedding on the eve of the 2025 MercyOne Genesis Firecracker Run.
“I love all that is ice cream and chocolate, the biggest banana split that can be made. I love nothing more than a huge cut of red meat – the biggest steak I can get my hands on – and I love a cold beer. It’s why I get gout in my feet.”
“To that, running has been my faith, my crutch, my drug of choice, and – besides my lovely wife – my best friend, and it has opened many doors,’’ added Moreno, who retired from the 3M company after 35 years of service. “It clears my mind, makes me feel good, and provides a ‘good’ pain. Running has challenged and rewarded me so much.’’
To have the backing of the local running community, Moreno says you need dedicated, like-minded people who care and want to give back. He says Rock Valley’s Danny Fleener, PT, MPT, CMPT, OCS, Clinic Manager/Director of Quality, has been an ally since they met several years ago. He calls Flenner an important “go to’’ guy on all his running-related decisions.
A runner, Fleener has completed a marathon in 49 of the 50 united states and is also who Moreno turns to when he has a health issue and a running situation.
“When I first got involved in the local running scene, I already knew who Joe was; everyone does,’’ Fleener said. “But at the time, maybe 20 years ago, he didn’t know me. I was helping a friend move – who would eventually become my wife – and we were unloading at a storage unit. Joe happened to be there, scrambling like usual to get race stuff together. Even in the middle of all that chaos, he stopped and asked if he could help me – a relatively total stranger. That’s just who he is. He gives first. He shows up. That kind of energy draws people in.’’
As a patient, Fleener says Moreno has a runner’s mentality.
“Joe’s a runner through and through – which means he’s stubborn,’’ Fleener explained. “We’ve spent more time trying to hold him back than pushing him forward. But that determination? It’s what drives him, whether he’s healing or hosting 5,000 runners. He leads with heart. And you don’t say no to Joe – not because he asks loudly, but because he’s probably already done something for you first.’’
And Moreno has a deep respect and admiration for Fleener as a therapist, a runner and as one of life’s good souls.
“One of the best guys on the planet,’’ Moreno said of Fleener. “His wife, Cindy, is amazing as well and a great friend. He has ingrained himself in the running scene and is the first person I call when I need help with an event. I can remember knocking round the idea for the Freedom Run and Danny immediately got behind it. I mean I just shared the idea of a new race with a military theme – and we might have been somewhere having a beer — and it was literally one second later that he said he was in and would commit to sponsoring and do whatever I needed with the race. He has had an enormous impact on local running. And a big part of it is the work he does with Rock Valley. He knows the running landscape, he runs marathons, and he knows how to get you back healthy and help you stay healthy. I/we as a community, not just a running community, are so lucky to have Danny and Rock Valley.’’
Rock Valley Physical Therapy has proudly served as the presenting sponsor of the Quad Cities Marathon Relay. Click the link below to register for this years race: https://raceroster.com/events/2025/97138/tbk-bank-quad-cities-marathon
By: Johnny Marx, Rock Valley Storyteller