Marine Corps Marathon

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.

We have visited Washington DC many times over the years. As kids, with school groups, and for work, we’ve seen the monuments and museums multiple times. Years ago, we were here during Marine Corps Marathon (MCM) weekend and were so inspired. It’s been on our list for a long time and it didn’t disappoint.

The MCM is the fourth largest marathon in the United States with over 30,000 runners from all over the world. The weekend event begins with a large expo where we picked up our race bibs. We enjoyed the festivities with cheerleaders from the local NFL team, the Washington Commanders. We learned the best way to get to the start line and picked up some fun goodies.

Trains begin running at 5am on race morning

At 4:45 a.m. on race morning, we left Cherry Hill Park, our basecamp for the week and headed to the nearest Metro station. After a 30 minute train ride, I got off the train and headed to the 10K start line. Steve rode a few more stops before getting to the marathon start line.

Waiting in the warmth of the Metro station before the race

By 8:00 a.m. we were both beating the pavement. My 6.2 mile course took me around the mall, into Crystal City, and past the Pentagon, before crossing the finish line at the Iwo Jima Marine Corps War Memorial. Steve ran his 26.2 miles through Arlington, Georgetown, Rock Creek Park, and around the mall before crossing the same finish line as I did.

The course is lined with supporters, including enthusiastic marines who fist bump and cheer you along. The race is one of the best in terms of organization, support, and energy. For both of us it was a successful event. Highly recommend!

While in DC we did a little exploring. We noticed that security around the White House is greater than it’s ever been. The photo below shows the barricade that keeps the public at least a block away. Who remembers when you could get right up to the fence and almost see in the windows?

Being in the area of the White House, we had to grab lunch at Old Ebbitt Grill, Washington’s oldest saloon, established in 1856. We also checked out the view from the Old Post office, a historic building with quite a history.

One new stop for us in the DC area was a visit to the United States Naval Academy in Annapolis. It’s about a 30 minute drive from DC and a world away. The Academy, established in 1845, prepares young men and women to become professional officers in the Navy and Marine Corps. Notable graduates include Jimmy Carter, Ross Perot, David Robinson, and Roger Staubach. We loved seeing the athletic facilities, the chapel, and Bancroft Hall, the largest college dormitory in the world.

While staying at the closest campground to DC, we enjoyed the park’s weekend celebration of Halloween. Many RV parks have special activities on weekends in October, and our RV parks have been packed on the weekends with families enjoying the outdoors. Cherry Hill had a big celebration that included site decorating contests, wagon rides, and trick or treating. Hundreds of kids and families dressed for the occasion wandered the park collecting candy. We didn’t have costumes, but Bob enjoyed the attention. Have we mentioned he’s a “little girl” magnet?

Marnie and Steve Travel

We're retired! Let's go!

26.2 x 50: Steve Runs a Marathon in Every State

Marine Corps Marathon