2,016 miles in 2016, finished 2,017 year following. Virtually ran Great Britain & Route 66/Chicago to LA, past 18 months.
Somewhere along the way, lost my mojo/my purpose. Stopped enjoying the journey (middle-of-night treadmilling to log winter miles). Didn’t LOVE LOVE marathoning in Carmel, Indiana. Cold rainy mess. No travel interest in South Carolina, Mississippi, Delaware.
Summer BREAK. Still running, still hiking high – just uncomplicating the script.
Have watched Rickey Gates’ video ‘Every Single Street’ 5-6 times now. [Skip the first 1:10 minutes, dude’s trail-runner Bohemian backstory.] The MEAT of the video, the journey itself – is crazy powerful. Guy ran every street in San Francisco.
So…what is stopping ME from running every Louisville Colorado street? Absolutely nada.
With every annual ball drop, we start anew. Sit still or hike on. Excited what 2019 holds.
Over the next year gonna run EVERY SINGLE STREET in my Colorado hometown. Big streets, neighborhood dead-ends, subdivision circles. EVERY SINGLE STREET in Louisville Colorado. Total miles, NO idea.
If ya see me out early morn next year, I’ve gone LOCAL.
Give a honk/a wave/a smile, tag along for a mile. Explore our beautiful little town.
What I’ve learned so far. I’m not Rickey Gates. Don’t live in a van, don’t run 10 hours daily. I’m CFO employed, awesome dog, eat a bunch, love hiking, stay Colorado active. Run schedule? Early a.m. or after work, rarely both. When it rains, when it snows — not super motivated. Probably inside, eating pizza.
What I’ve learned so far. Maps of San Francisco much more available than my hometown — AND I’ve got ‘old man’ eyes. Using online city-planning maps, resolution blown up 200%, screen-shot printed, route highlighted in YELLOW. And then, I still miss streets. Sooooo many cul-de-sacs in Louisville. Who knew?
What I’ve learned so far. I’m MUCH more introverted than Rickey Gates. He selfie-shots with homeless people, runs along highways, talks with drivers stuck in traffic. Me? Sometimes a smile, show an upward ‘runner hand’ to residents managing yard chores. That’s as good as it’s got so far. Stranger danger.
What I DIDN’T see in his video. Bathrooms. Day 3 in the midst of suburbia, I was an accident waiting to happen. When ya gotta go, ya gotta go. Street treks now limited to 3 hours. Start/stops pre-planned, near parks with facilities. For some unknown reason, hometown running keeps me super regular. LOL>
What I DID see in the video. To hit every road, every neighborhood, every cul-de-sac, streets are often repeated. Rarely a straight shot. Takes a lotta planning. Gotta stay alert, plugged in – to traffic, street signs, backtracking/searching out tiny back-alley postal paths. Not gonna maintain a 9-minute run pace.
Every LOUISVILLE Street. What I’ve learned so far. Tear away the travel, 50 state goals, all the continents – it’s 2 legs, a hydration vest & my Colorado hometown. This challenge/this journey has been ALL about regaining JOY.
Happy running, friends. Get inspired!
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- Rickey Gates inspired
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- McCaslin & S Boulder Rd
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- SWEET COW reward 🍦
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- spring GOSLINGS
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- RAIN day ☂️
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- third SNOW of May
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- city-planning MAP, 200% resolution
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- every STREET
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- STRAVA legit
Never say never. You’ll eat those words. 37 months after my first 50 State finish, surprisingly find myself on the cusp again. Gave Sis all the credit for inspiring my first (one-n-done) marathon in Anchorage, June 2013. Crazy but true, it was Sis’ 5-0 Birthday Bash on Hawaii’s Big Island which propelled my SECOND ROUND.
Once you tag Hawaii, might as well run all 50. Right? 🙂
First dozen, Round 2 – more ’bout visiting family & friends; gearing up for that first FINISH in Fort Collins, May 2016. I truly never imagined travelling all 50 a second time.
Viva Las Vegas, cheap flight inspired. Hilly out-n-back (with elevation) in Nevada’s Red Rock Canyon. Never saw a desert tortoise. But those canyon walls? Stunning.
Clayton Lake State Park, New Mexico. Only 5 hours away. Add’l inspiration? FREE entry from Mainly Marathons. Smart guys. I’d pay FULL RETAIL for 2 more entries during my next 5-0 journey. Big beautiful Lake Coeur d’Alene in Idaho – destination location. Santa Rosa? Spot where I received my 50 State plaque. Surrounded by peers in a California wine cellar, I said: NEVER again. LOL> REVEL Big Cottonwood in Utah. Learned ALL DOWNHILL is crazy hard on the quads & knees. A+ for mountain panorama though, WOW’d.
Almost missed my second Nebraska run. Oregon Trail Run in Hebron. Time zone flub. Night before, in NEBRASKA, slept Mountain Time. Finished Top 10 next day, CENTRAL time zone. Following week travelled East Coast to Narragansett, Rhode Island. Once upon a time, it was here or Colorado I would land for Life 2nd Half. Ocean waves & mountain peaks. Both speak to my soul.
My marathon buddy Carolyn chose West Virginia’s ‘We Are Marshall’. She BQ’d (Boston-Qualified) that day. Great gal.
Next 2, all about FAMILY. Orlando Marathon (minutes from Disney) & 3 Bridges in Little Rock, Arkansas (Mom & Bro). Cancer months. Learned running during chemo, allowed me CONTROL over something. Took a break from social media, notta peep at work. My choice. Beard went white, then fell out in patches. Last treatment 3 days before Christmas. Thin, gaunt. Not my best look.
2017 STRONG. Marathon’d New Year’s Day in Spring Hill, Florida. Two weeks later, an Air Force base in Macon GEORGIA. No sign of CANCER, January 15th. Hair return early March. Far less freakish, once my beard (& EYEBROWS) grew in. (Laugh, it’s ok.)
Fave of my first Dozen: Rockin’ K (Kanopolis State Park, KS). FIRST trail run EVER. FIVE water crossings. Arms-UP, waded waist-HIGH, first week of April. COLD. Memorable. Cabin shared with 2 other marathoners. Still today, my trail run favourite.
| # | State | Marathon | City | Date | Time | Bib # |
| 53 | NV | Red Rock Canyon Marathon | Las Vegas | 2/20/2016 | 5:01.40 | 33 |
| 59 | NM | Dust Bowl Series Day 5 | Clayton | 3/27/2016 | 6:06.15 | 45 |
| 60 | KS | Rockin’ K Trail Marathon | Ellsworth | 4/2/2016 | 6:13.43 | 49 |
| 63 | ID | Coeur d’Alene Marathon | Coeur d’Alene | 5/29/2016 | 4:58.36 | 179 |
| 68 | CA | Santa Rosa Marathon | Santa Rosa | 8/28/2016 | 4:39.31 | 1516 |
| 70 | UT | REVEL Big Cottonwood Marathon | Cottonwood Heights | 9/10/2016 | 4:04.01 | 1503 |
| 73 | NE | Oregon Trail Run of Nebraska | Hebron | 10/22/2016 | 4:27.36 | 131 |
| 74 | RI | Ocean State Marathon | Narragansett | 10/30/2016 | 5:15.09 | 79 |
| 75 | WV | Marshall University Marathon | Huntington | 11/6/2016 | 4:08.18 | 417 |
| 76 | FL | Orlando Marathon | Orlando | 11/12/2016 | 5:05.48 | 254 |
| 78 | AR | 3 Bridges Marathon | Little Rock | 12/17/2016 | 4:35.41 | 254 |
| 80 | GA | Museum of Aviation Marathon | Warner Robins | 1/14/2017 | 4:54.47 | 38 |
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- Nevada, NM, Kansas & Idaho
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- CA, Utah, Nebraska & Rhode Island
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- WV, Florida, Arkansas & Georgia
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- hair RETURN: December/January/February
Wisconsin, state 48.
Chose Sunday’s race [after] passing an Expo booth in Twin Cities (last October). Trees, great hometown support & one of our country’s top 3 accents – LOVE it, LOVE them, sign me up!
Saturday mid-day flight. Easy hour-half to Minneapolis. Rental car pick-up. Another hour-half to Eau Claire. Interstate & farmland. Easy, peasy. Bib gather, early dinner, downtown digs at the Lismore. Sleeps have come a long way since Antarctica snow-tenting my first 2019 run.
Sunday morning SUNSHINE. Rain forecast all week. Held off 3 hours, providing welcome overcast skies. National Anthem, thanks to the Toutant family (race organizers), and a long loud MOO. Unique to Eau Claire, unique to Wisconsin? Either way, unique to ME. My first pre-race cattle call. LOL>
No huge time goal, 4:45 in my head. Chest cold all but gone. Lung capacity stronger, week following Missouri’s 50K (near 7 hour) finish. Smiles and green trees today. Soaking in the season.
No intention of starting out fast, just digged the 4:15 pacer guys’ shtick. Corny 2nd grader jokes & random running trivia. Helped tick off the miles. Goal to hold on thru the Half; didn’t drop pace ‘til marker 15. Fastest marathon by a US President? George W. Bush, sub-4 marathoner. Who knew?
Light rain miles 21, 22. Precip energized, provided relief. Walked/jogged/slogged last 5 miles. WHOLE LOT BETTER than week prior. Finished, finished with a smile. Well-organized event, 8,000 runners strong. AMAZING community support. HAPPY my 50 state-journey took me thru Eau Claire.
Shuttle to parking, much appreciated UWEC university-shower. Kicked back an hour. Convenience store bottle of Cola, bag of salty lime-flavoured chips. No judgment. Did the body good.
5 hours ‘til my Southwest flight home. Driving app set, destination: Pepin, Wisconsin.
Afternoon ‘long the Mississippi, visiting my Little House family – Ma Pa Mary & Laura, the Ingalls ❤️
Eau Claire Marathon
K R Haga Residence: Louisville, CO
Finish 4:50:37, 20M 3:25:32, 13.1M 2:05:36, 6.2M 58:33
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- Sunday SUNSHINE
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- Nat’l Anthem & a loud MOO 🐮
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- marathon HALF
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- FREE race photos 🙂
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- the Badger State
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- Chippewa River
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- COMMUNITY support
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- ‘Little House’ of Wisconsin
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- run state 48
Cinco-Seis de Mayo
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- SOUP please 😜
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- marathon travel holiday
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- Boulder VERDE
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- ‘Seis’ de Mayo 🌶️🌮
Eau Claire Marathon FINISH
About the Eau Claire Marathon
When our family first learned that The Eau Claire Marathon had been canceled, we were disappointed because we had enjoyed participating in the past. In an instant, conversation turned to the exciting opportunity to make a meaningful difference in many lives.
To me, running has always been about the journey: A journey that leads people to a healthier lifestyle, that endorses the fact that dedication and discipline yield results, that demonstrates that you don’t have to win the race to have a personal victory, and a journey that should remind us all of the power of encouragement, particularly when directed at another person. So you see to us, it has become more than just a race!
My daughter Emi and I share a passion for making the race a success. We believe through the coalition of others we can make the Eau Claire Marathon a very special event with many meaningful and significant contributions for years to come. Simply put, we want to provide a beautiful, high-quality, well-run, fun venue that will attract runners at all levels and, in turn, will provide revenues to be directed toward various charities and causes.
Since 2014, we have donated to over 120 Charities.
Myself, my daughter Emi, my wife Kerry, and our other children and their spouses are all dedicated to keeping the Eau Claire Marathon a healthy and vibrant event for many years to come!
After the tragic passing of Emi’s mother in law, Cheri Uelmen, in a bike crash in September 2014, we added Cheri Uelmen’s Fantastically Fun Kid’s Run on Saturday Night! Cheri was a very important part of our family, and we know that this race will keep her spirit alive.
– Pat Toutant and family
