Just read a news story about a Wisconsin man who ran in five States on the same day.?ÿ His route took him 73.3 miles.?ÿ He started at the marker at the southwest corner of Kansas where it matches the southeast corner of Colorado and is bordered on the south by Oklahoma.?ÿ So the first three States were achieved in minimum time.?ÿ Then he ran a diagonal route across the Oklahoma to the southwest corner of the Oklahoma Panhandle where Texas and New Mexico share a common corner.?ÿ So the last little bit of time added the fourth and fifth States to his count.
I am impressed.
I'm betting his running shoes were pretty dusty by day's end.
I'm also betting he was approached by at least 1 of the 4 people that live up there asking if he was lost.?ÿ ;)?ÿ
Assuming he circled around the "manhole lid" at the KS/CO/OK tri-corner then headed east less than a mile to a road I believe is paved that would take him five miles south to hit Highway 56.?ÿ That highway runs diagonally through Keyes to where it meets Highway 412.?ÿ That highway continues to run diagonally via Boise City and Felt to the west edge of OK.?ÿ There he had two choices.?ÿ Either drop straight south about a mile to hit the OK/TX/NM tri-corner or continue about a mile and a half on the highway to hit the true NWC of Texas as New Mexico bends around that little jog.?ÿ Wonder how he felt in Felt.?ÿ Did he realize he still had his car keys on him as he passed through Keyes??ÿ Did he stop long enough in Boise City to learn that it is not pronounced the same as the one in Idaho and that it rhymes with voice??ÿ Did he completely circle the courthouse there or simply run the semicircle to the opposite side.
Is there anywhere else in the US where an endurance runner could achieve running in five states in one day?
Five miles south of Truesdell, WI at the WI/IL state line to a mile or so south of Grand Beach, MI to the IN/MI state line, for example, would be about 120 miles but only four states, not five.
Similarly, from the tri-corner of MD/PA/DE on a route across DE to PA then across the river into NJ might be on the order of 30-35 miles but only be four States.
One possibility might be to start at the CT/RI/MA tri-corner then head northwest across MA to NH and VT for 75 miles or so.?ÿ The catch is a shortage of bridges near the NH/VT/MA tri-corner (apparently in the Connecticut River) so he would need to add quite a few extra miles to run to the fifth State.
If you run in Florida, aren't you also running in New York?
Was some sort of life threatening animal or other peril chasing him? Was he running to save the life of a family member or anyone? If not, he ran for no reason. That's not impressive at all. By the way, I proudly display a 0.0 sticker on my car to mock the 26.2 displays.
I was impressed by the physical condition this man has maintained through the years to build himself up enough to tackle running over 70 miles in one day, whether it was around a track or cross country.?ÿ I ran the mile a couple of times during my high school days and was convinced I was going to die each time.?ÿ The track maintenance guy gave me a flashlight and asked me to lock the gate whenever I was done as no one else would be around.
I will admit there are dang few hills along the path he ran, so that made it easier.?ÿ He started at midnight, so at least the conditions would have been fairly good for hours.?ÿ As Paden pointed out, traffic would be incredibly light compared to what nearly everyone here experiences routinely.?ÿ The story mentioned that three family members took turns running with him, including his father for about 10 of those miles.?ÿ His daughter ran something like 20 or more miles.
Side note that has absolutely nothing to do with this man's run:?ÿ It was probably 20 to 30 years ago when a moving van-sized truck was driving along this same highway when one of the front wheels snapped loose and sped ahead of the truck for roughly a mile and a half before it stopped.?ÿ Various rescuers arrived to help out the poor fellow who was headed to somewhere hundreds of miles further to the northeast.?ÿ Those who finally recovered the wheel discovered it was incredibly heavy.?ÿ Much heavier than it should be.?ÿ Law officers had already surmised what might have caused the problem.?ÿ The inside of the tire was packed very tightly with packages of illegal drugs.?ÿ The other tires on the truck were packed in similar fashion.?ÿ It was fortunate for those four local citizens Paden alluded to above that they weren't out for a drive such that the errant wheel could have smashed into them.
Years ago I was on OK 325 just west on Kenton, OK in Cimarron Co. returning from trout fishing in the Rockies with a drunk brother and a '78 Dodge van/camper full of kids.?ÿ We stopped to pee on the side of the road and the ol' Dodge's starter gave up the ghost.?ÿ?ÿ
I was laying underneath wrestling with the starter and an old rancher pulled up next to me and stopped.?ÿ He asked if I needed a hand.?ÿ I told him I was just tired of driving and thought I'd get a nap in the shade.?ÿ He didn't seem to appreciate my humor... But I thanked him for stopping.?ÿ He told me he was heading to Boise City and would be back by there in a couple of hours.?ÿ He said if he didn't see me he would know I made it out.
He was the only thing with a pulse we saw that whole morning, except for three or four mule deer that came down off the cap rock to watch cars go by.
Kenton is so far west they ignore the Central Time Zone they are in and run on Mountain Time.?ÿ About the only thing between Kenton and New Mexico is a cemetery.?ÿ I recall spending time at the Kenton Mercantile back in the mid-1960's.?ÿ I fully expected to see Gene Autry or Roy Rogers come riding up at any time.?ÿ It may not be the edge of the world but you can see it from there.?ÿ Driving the Dry Cimarron route from there to Raton is something that everyone should do at least once in their life.?ÿ It is quite an experience.?ÿ It is not for feeble souls.
First time I remember the "canyon road" was Pops driving our "new" 1961 Chevy through there.?ÿ It was gravel and dirt back then.?ÿ The route peels off to the north before you get to Raton.?ÿ I think the first wide spot in the road in CO is a dusty spot named Branson, CO.?ÿ Then comes a little spot named Trinchera.?ÿ After that it was Walsenburg for a gas stop.?ÿ
Beautiful high prairie up there.?ÿ I'm fond of driving it at night.?ÿ A stop on the side of the road can provide a full view of stars.?ÿ
When you came to the fork in the road, you turned to the right towards Colorado.?ÿ Our target was Raton so we turned to the left a few miles to Folsom, then west (well, sort of) to Raton.
Back when I was too young to drive we left the Passion Play held in rough country northeast of Kenton and by some combination of roads finally ended up in Campo, CO in the dark.?ÿ I was certain every bad thing I had ever seen happen to good people in the old Westerns that could have been shot in that area would happen to us that evening.?ÿ Looking at a map shows your Branson, CO to be the first town pretty much straight west of Camp and some little town in Kansas near Elkhart would be the first town to the east with no straight line path possible.?ÿ Turn a cow loose to eat and drink all she can find and the ASPCA would charge you with animal abuse in that country.
