Since we’ve settled into our new little home in the Phoenix area, I wasn’t interested in getting back on the road too soon. So, while I stayed home and nested, Steve tackled much of the spring marathon season solo.  Here’s a recap on his Herculean efforts.

Maryland #45

First, he flew to Baltimore  and participated in the B & A Trail Marathon. The race was conducted on the rail-to-trail  path that goes from Baltimore to Annapolis, and he finished the 26.2 mile race in his normal time of about 4 1/2 hours. 

New Jersey #46

Three weeks later he boarded a plane to Newark. There he traveled into Jersey City which lies on the Hudson River across from Manhattan. The day before the race he picked up his packet and then enjoyed the views of the city on a beautiful day. 

The run through the streets of Jersey City and past the Statue of Liberty was a classic urban race. He finished again at his normal pace.

Oregon #47

Less than a week later he was on a plane again, this time to Eugene, Oregon for the Eugene Marathon. Eugene is the home of the University of Oregon and is known as “Track Town USA.” Since this was Steve’s third 26.2 mile race in five weeks, it was a bit slower. He still finished in under five hours. 

Illinois #48

We fit the final spring marathon in during our travels to Michigan for the summer season. The Starved Rock Marathon was held in the town of Ottawa, IL and the race ran through the beautiful Starved Rock State Park, where we also camped. We were joined by Steve’s high school running buddy Kent Ferris and the guys “enjoyed” doing the race together, if you can enjoy running 26.2 miles up and down big hills. 

A side note: Kent also ran state #20 in Des Moines with Steve.

With #48 in the books, Steve has just two states left to complete his goal of running a marathon in all 50 states. We’ll hit Vermont and Massachusetts the fall. But first, Traverse Bay RV Resort is beckoning. 

On our way north we stopped to see our Baja buddies, Yujing and Jim in Kalamazoo. Yujing prepared an incredible meal of Chinese Hot Pot that was a super fun experience. This is what RVing is all about…the fabulous friends you make and the unique experiences you have along the way. Thanks guys!

We plan to spend another summer in Traverse City with our friends, enjoying the lakes, trails, and wineries. Have a great summer everyone!