Took more than a year to complete my first dozen marathons.  I’d finish my second dozen in half the time.

Soon after joining both 50 States & Marathon Maniac running clubs in October 2014, the addiction grew & my journey began.  Never more than one a month, then 3 marathons in November – including another sub-4 in Indianapolis (& a new PR).

Completed my 13^th race in Des Moines (Iowa).  Took an overnight train to Omaha – whatta unique experience, I love trains.  Pre-race activity: live theatrical production of Dracula (& my unintentional VIP status…funny, almost embarrassing story here).  Aside from setting a new PR in Indianapolis, finished Monumental with my Sis – inspiration for running that first marathon in Alaska.

Ran my only night marathon down the lit Las Vegas strip.  Enjoyed historic Fremont but this Rock N Roll event would rank as my least favourite race.  Soon after exiting the Strip, spent the next 3 hours along dark interstate highway.  Pre-race activity: heli-adventure to the mighty Grand Canyon, lunching aside the Colorado River.  WOW!

Influenced by my new Maniac family, registered for Route 66 the following weekend in Tulsa (Oklahoma).  Sneaky hilly course.  Saw my Mom at the Finish – another first, mighty emotional.  Finished 2014 along the gusty Atlantic; ran #17 in Rehoboth Beach – the wild ponies of Assateague & Chincoteague Islands cement my Delaware memory.

New Year, New You.  Kicked-off 2015 with a full run calendar – began organizing flights, rental car & hotel reservations by spreadsheet, googled destination locations to memorialize my 50 State journey.  Hobby became a Quest.

Started the year on a red-eye flight to Jackson (Mississippi).  Passed the 4-hour pacer at mile 26…only to find myself sub-4 short by 2 minutes.  Argh!  Two weeks later, flew my 2^nd red-eye of the year to beautiful sexy Miami.  LOVED the energy of this city, its International feel & of course, its sandy beaches.  Finish was announced in Spanish: K R ‘AGA, Estados Unidos.  Muy bueno.

Not being a hot weather runner, strategy was to run everything USA South in the dead of winter.

Next stop: South Carolina.  Learned even the deep South experiences winter weather.  Strong ocean headwind, cold breezy finish. Final February Myrtle Beach Marathon…permanently propelled their race date to mid-March going forward.  Held my first gator 🙂

Visited my first Presidential Library in Little Rock (no books, who knew?).  Cold numbing sleet – but surprising, eeked out a 3^rd sub-4 performance (hilliest sub-4 of my journey).  Two weeks later, caught a cheap flight to Atlanta, then drove 3 hours to Montgomery (Alabama).  Spent a somber pre-race day in Selma.  Walked the same bridge Martin Luther King marched 50 years earlier.  Finished marathon #22 in Riverwalk Stadium, home of the Montgomery Biscuits (triple-A baseball).  LOL>

My 50 State PR would happen in wintery seaside Cape May (New Jersey).  6 days later, ran marathon 24 in Charlottesville (Virginia), home of my favourite U.S. President, Thomas Jefferson.  During his presidency, the U.S. expanded West thru Colorado – ‘from sea to shining sea’, Atlantic AND Pacific now in our country’s well house.  Buffalo, elk & Native American art adorned Jefferson’s Monticello residence.  Tight on time, finished Sunday’s marathon (hilly course), jumped in a car, raced north 3 hours to DC & took my first airport splash bath (sadly, another first).  Closest call of my 50 – return flight home was already boarding.  Yikes!

Took 6 months to complete my 2nd Dozen states – I’d complete the next TWO DOZEN in the same amount of time…and along the way, experience LIFE.  New places, new faces.  No regrets.