MarathonTours

Steve has always been a runner. He ran cross country in high school with his buddy Kent Ferris. He ran his first half marathon in the 80s while in college. But his greatest athletic accomplishment, running a full marathon of 26.2 miles in all 50 states, didn’t begin until he was in his 40s.

In 2008 he joined his colleague and friend Steve Hogen for his first out of state marathon in Utah. Work and other commitments limited the time for training, so future races were few and far between. The majority of the 50 marathons were completed after he retired in 2016.

The quest to run in every state led us on an adventure that was shared with our closest friends and family. In Colorado and Alaska, Sam was there to cheer him on.

Kent ran two marathons (Iowa and Illinois) beside Steve.

Our friend Sheri joined us in Hawaii. Gary was there for the celebrations in Kansas, Missouri, Nebraska, and Massachusetts.

Our RV buddies Gail and Jeff were at the finish line in Hartford.

The Lawsons joined us in San Diego and San Antonio, where Tina and I did the half while Steve did the full.

Waiting for Steve at San Antonio Marathon

My Dad cheered him on in Prescott for the end of the Whiskey Row Marathon.

Steve’s parents were there in Omaha and Kansas City, and Steve’s mom, cousins and I did the half at the Rock and Roll Arizona while Steve met us all at finish after the full.

Finally, our sweet girl Mia crossed the finish in Steve’s arms at the Cheyenne Marathon. Marathoning is indeed a team sport!

Steve finished his 50th 26.2 mile race in Cape Cod, Massachusetts on October 11, 2026. We celebrated with Gary, Mitch, Lauren, Caleb, and Will with a lobster dinner and plenty of toasts to our Superman.

We’ve polled friends as to what the next challenge should be. Steve doesn’t have any plans to continue racing but he is considering his options . His favorite idea so far is “visit a distillery in every state.” Time will tell what’s next for our runner.

Along the way, people have asked a lot of questions about this venture. Here are Steve’s response to the most frequently asked questions:

What was your favorite race? They are all unique but the New York Marathon, with over 50,000 participants and millions of spectators along the route, stands out as one of the most memorable. Fellow high school principal Greg Milbrandt joined Steve for this epic race.

What was the hardest race Right in our backyard, the Whiskey Row marathon was one of the most challenging. It has over 3,000 feet of climbing at elevations of 5,200 to over 7,000 feet. Steve has finished this race twice.

What was the most beautiful course? The Fly to Pie Marathon in Vermont’s Northeast Kingdom, run during peak leaf change season, couldn’t be beat.

Were they all 26.2 miles? Actually, Steve’s rule was that the race had to be 26.2 miles or more. Three of the races he completed, Arkansas, North Dakota, and Oklahoma, were considered ultra-marathons, over 26.2 miles each.

You’ve really run 50 marathons? Well, he’s really run over 60 marathons. Those extras include multiple Arizona and Nebraska races, three international marathons (Greece, Iceland, and Cuba), and two races where he did not finish.

We have many race-related photos and will post many of them below, mostly so we can remember each experience more clearly. Steve says thanks to all the people who showed up to support him, who checked in when he struggled through injuries, and who cheered him on via Facebook. The accomplishment is even more sweet sharing it with all of you.

After our time at the beach in Varadero, we left the larger group and set off with a guide and driver to the countryside. We arrived in Viñales after a beautiful five hour drive and began exploring the life of rural Cubans.

We stayed at Los Jasmines Hotel, which overlooks the Viñales Valley. The beautiful views contributed to the quick recovery of my sore throat, for sure. The Valley is the center of Cuba’s tabacco growing culture and has recently transformed into a tourist hub for those seeking outdoor adventures. We enjoyed several farm to table meals at rustic farms where the fresh veggies were grown on site. They kept bringing out plate after plate until there was no room left on the table.

Steve enjoyed the planned hike to the village of Los Acquaticos while I stayed at the hotel and rested. His 4+ mile trek took him up into the mogotes (limestone monoliths) to meet the 87 year old Sixto, who supposedly is the last person on Earth to know the source of the nearby healing waters. They couldn’t get it out of him, but they enjoyed fresh pressed sugar cane juice and coffee as a reward for the hike.

Along the way Steve took in the classic sights of rural Cuba. In many ways it’s still operating like it was 100 years ago.

In the afternoon, after another farmer’s lunch, we visited the Cave of the Indian (Cueva de los Indios). Compared to other caves we’ve visited this was pretty minor, but the boat ride in the cave set it apart.

Another highlight of our time in Viñales was a visit to Benito Camejo’s tabacco farm. We hung out with farmhand and cigar rolling expert Ismael who taught us how to smoke the cigars we watched him roll. We’re not smokers but didn’t want to pass up an opportunity to smoke a cigar rolled right before our eyes.

Of course it was followed up with some Cuban rum and a walk around the farm to inspect the oxen and the tobacco plants.

Our private guide Santiago and our professional driver Rafael have taken great care of us and have helped us understand some of the mysteries of this land. It’s always great to have friends along that help you understand the customs and history of a place. These guys were good!!

Our final night in the countryside was spent in the government-developed, sustainable community of Las Terrazas. The idyllic setting was the perfect place to relax and reflect on the many things we have seen and learned on this trip.

While in the area we visited the Baños de San Juan, a riverside park that provides a nice place to cool off (too cool to get in the water while we were here).

We also stopped at Rancho Curujey, a lakeside picnic area also part of the Las Terrazas complex.

Finally we toured the ruins of the Buena Vista coffee plantation which was built in 1801 by French refugees from Haiti.

To this day you can see the house of the original owner and the slaves’ quarters.

We saw a lot in three days, considering the sore throat, fever, and then some stomach issues. It’s all part of the travel adventure. Next up, one more night in Havana.

Marnie and Steve Travel

We're retired! Let's go!

26.2 x 50: Steve Runs a Marathon in Every State

Cuban Countryside: Viñales and Las Terrazas