50 States Marathon Challenge - Route Planning
50 States Marathon Challenge - Route Planning: The Truth About Mapping Out 58 Marathons In 58 Days
Most route planning guides for the 50 states marathon challenge show you perfect maps with color-coded clusters and optimized drive times.
That's not how it works in reality.
I'm Lachlan Stuart. I completed 58 marathons in 58 consecutive days, 50 across the United States in winter, then 8 across Australia. People ask me all the time: "How did you plan the perfect route?"
I didn't.
There is no perfect route. There's only directional planning with constant adaptation.
Here's what actually happened, what worked, what I'd tell you if you asked me over coffee, and the one thing I genuinely wish I'd known before starting.
The Myth Of The Perfect 50 States Marathon Route
Before I started, I spent weeks staring at maps.
I drew routes. I measured distances. I color-coded clusters. I optimized drive times. I built spreadsheets with arrival times, time zones, weather forecasts.
Then Day 1 hit, and I realized something:
The map is not the territory.
Weather changed. Roads closed. We got delayed. A town we planned to stay in had no accommodation available. The "perfect" 4-hour drive turned into 9 hours because of a snowstorm.
By Week 2, we stopped following the rigid plan and started working with a simple framework:
"Which state do we need to hit next, and what's the best town nearby to sleep?"
That's it.
That's the real route planning strategy that worked.
What I Actually Planned For The 50 States Marathon Challenge
What I planned:
When I started planning the 50 states marathon challenge route, I focused on three non-negotiables: Alaska, Hawaii, and general direction.
1. Start and finish points
Start: Alaska (January 20)
Finish: Brisbane, Australia (March 20)
Non-negotiable anchor points
2. General direction
Alaska → Pacific Northwest → Across USA → Hawaii → Australia
West to East, cold to warm
3. Which states required flights
Alaska (fly in/out)
Hawaii (fly in/out)
Australia (international)
4. Rough weekly targets
Week 1: Pacific Northwest + Mountain West
Week 2-3: Midwest + Northeast
Week 4-5: Mid-Atlantic + South
Week 6-7: South-Central + Southwest
Week 8-9: Australia
What I didn’t Plan For the 50 States Marathon Challenge:
1. Exact towns We knew the state. We didn't know the exact town until we were driving.
Example: "Tomorrow we need to be in Ohio. Let's find a town that's 4-5 hours from here with a decent hotel."
2. Exact routes within states We'd Google Maps the next state, pick a town that made sense, and run wherever felt safe when we arrived.
3. Backup plans for every scenario We had ONE backup plan: "If something goes wrong, run the marathon anyway, then figure it out."
The Only 50 States Marathon Route Planning Rule That Matters.
You must account for Alaska and Hawaii.
Everything else is flexible. I needed to finish in Hawaii as it would help me keep my marathon streak alive as I attempted to run all 8 states and territories of Australia as well.
Alaska Logistics
Alaska is the most logistically challenging state in any 50 states marathon route.
The reality:
You cannot drive to Alaska in a consecutive attempt
You must fly
It's expensive ($400-700 AUD)
It's cold (I ran in -3°C in January)
My approach:
Flew Nashville → Anchorage
Ran 42.2km through Anchorage the next morning
Flew Anchorage → Seattle same day
Why I started with Alaska: Got the hardest logistics out of the way first. Psychological win. Only gets easier from there.
Alternative: Finish with Alaska. Some people prefer saving it for last. Either works.
Hawaii Logistics
The reality:
You cannot drive to Hawaii
You must fly
It's isolated (middle of the Pacific Ocean)
It's expensive ($800-1200 AUD including flights and accommodation)
My approach:
Hawaii was marathon 50 (final U.S. state)
Flew LAX → Honolulu evening of March 11
Ran midnight (technically March 12)
Flew Honolulu → Sydney same day
Why midnight: Avoided needing two nights accommodation. Finished the U.S. leg cleanly, then flew to Australia.
Lesson learned: Schedule Hawaii near the end. If you put it in the middle of your attempt and flights get delayed, your entire consecutive streak breaks.
What Actually Dictated My 50 States Marathon Route
Most 50 states marathon challenge route guides don't tell you this: weather will rewrite your plan.
1. Weather
We had an initial route mapped. Then weather forced us to adapt.
Example: Pennsylvania snowstorm
Driving through Pennsylvania, a snowstorm hit. Roads were icy. We saw a car that had flipped in a ditch, hazard lights blinking. We had to slow down significantly, reroute, and the drive took hours longer than planned.
The "plan" said we'd arrive with time to spare. Reality said otherwise.
Adaptation: We started checking weather 2-3 days ahead and driving more conservatively in winter conditions.
2. Drive Time
Some days, the shortest route wasn't realistic.
Example: Wyoming to South Dakota
The map said 5 hours. In winter, with icy roads and construction, it took 7 hours.
Adaptation: We stopped trying to predict exact drive times and instead asked: "Can we realistically get there and still have time for me to run tomorrow?"
3. Accomodation Availability
This was the biggest surprise.
What I didn't know: Most RV parks close in winter. I'd planned to sleep in the RV to save money. By Day 4, we realized we'd have to book hotels every night.
Example: Casper, Wyoming (Day 7)
Tiny border town. One motel. If it was full, we'd have had to drive 2 hours to the next town, after I'd already run 42km.
Adaptation: Liam started calling hotels 1-2 days ahead to confirm availability. If nothing was available, we'd adjust the route to a nearby state.
This is the one thing I wish I'd known before starting.
If you're attempting in winter, don't assume RV parks will be open. Budget for hotels.
4. My Body
Some days, my body dictated the route more than the map.
Example: Day 15 (Fort Wayne, Indiana)
I was really injured from day 5 through to around day 16 (then it became pain management). Both ankles were swollen. My quad was cramping. I needed flat, simple terrain.
We originally planned a hilly route in Michigan. We pivoted to Fort Wayne (flatter) and saved Michigan for when my legs recovered.
Adaptation: Your body will tell you what it can handle. Listen to it. A "perfect route" that destroys your body is a failed route.
Lachlan Stuart’s Actual 50 States Marathon Challenge Route
Here's what actually happened, week by week.
WEEK 1: Alaska → Pacific Northwest → Mountain West
Lachlan Stuart started with Alaska.
States: Alaska, Washington, Oregon, Idaho, Nevada, Wyoming, South Dakota Temperature range: -14°C to -3°C Drive distance: ~2,800km
What worked:
Got Alaska out of the way
Stayed generally west-to-east
What didn't:
West Wendover, Nevada (Day 5, -12°C) wrecked my ankles
Should've picked a warmer town, but options were limited
Lesson: Sometimes geography forces you into hard situations. You can't avoid them. You just adapt.
WEEK 2: Montana → Upper Midwest
States: Montana, North Dakota, Minnesota, Iowa, Wisconsin Temperature range: -20°C wind chill to 5°C Drive distance: ~2,100km
What worked:
Stayed in same region (Upper Midwest)
Gradually warming temperatures
What didn't:
Fargo, North Dakota (-16°C wind chill) was brutal
But geographically, it made sense to run it when we did
Lesson: You can't optimize away hard days. Some states are just going to hurt.
WEEK 3: Great lakes → Northeast
States: Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Ohio, New Jersey, Connecticut, Maine, New Hampshire Temperature range: -5°C to 5°C Drive distance: ~1,800km
What worked:
Short drive distances (1-3 hours between states)
Logistically easiest week
What didn't:
Nothing. This week was smooth.
Lesson: When geography works in your favor (Northeast is compact), enjoy it.
WEEK 4: Northeast → Mid-Atlantic
States: Vermont, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, New York, Pennsylvania, Delaware, Maryland Temperature range: -5°C to 11°C Drive distance: ~1,500km
What worked:
NYC (February 16) was an emotional high
Still compact geography
What didn't:
By this point, fatigue was setting in
Short drives didn't compensate for tired legs
Lesson: Logistics ease doesn't equal physical ease.
WEEK 5: Mid-Atlantic → South
States: West Virginia, Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia, Tennessee, Kentucky Temperature range: -8°C to 18°C Drive distance: ~2,000km
What worked:
Temperatures warming (huge relief)
Nashville (Feb 25) was a homecoming
What didn't:
Nothing. This was a psychological turning point.
Lesson: Warmer weather saves attempts. Period.
WEEK 6: Deep South → Texas
States: Missouri, Arkansas, Mississippi, Alabama, Florida, Louisiana, Texas, Oklahoma Temperature range: 10°C to 24°C Drive distance: ~2,600km
What worked:
Warm temps gave my body recovery time
Long drives between states, but worth it
What didn't:
Texas is huge. Austin made sense logistically, but it's still far from everywhere.
Lesson: Some states are just big. Accept it.
WEEK 7: Southwest → Pacific
States: Kansas, Colorado, New Mexico, Arizona, California, Hawaii Temperature range: 9°C to 26°C Drive + flight distance: ~3,800km
What worked:
Newport Beach (California) = perfect end to mainland USA
Hawaii midnight run = epic
What didn't:
Kansas snowstorm cost us 5 hours
Lesson: Weather will disrupt plans. Build buffer time.
WEEK 8-9: Australia
States: NSW, ACT, Victoria, Tasmania, South Australia, Western Australia, Northern Territory, Queensland Temperature range: 16°C to 37°C Flight distance: ~22,000km
What worked:
Sydney homecoming energy
Brisbane finish with community
What didn't:
Darwin (31°C, high humidity, rain) was brutal
Should've run earlier in morning
Lesson: Heat is just as dangerous as cold. Respect it.
How To Plan Your 50 States Marathon Challenge Route
1. Start With The Non-Negotiables
You must answer:
When are you starting?
Where are you starting? (Alaska or contiguous USA?)
When do you need to finish?
Are you doing consecutive days or spreading it out?
Everything else is flexible.
2. Pick A General Direction
Winter: Start cold, finish warm (Alaska → South) Summer: Start warm, finish cool (South → Alaska)
Don't overthink it. Geography will force most decisions anyway.
3. Cluster Where It Makes Sense
New England (ME, NH, VT, MA, RI, CT): Do these together. They're tiny. It's stupid not to.
Upper Midwest (ND, SD, MN, WI): Close together. Makes sense to cluster.
Everything else: Adapt as you go.
4. Don’t Plan Exact Towns Until You Are Close
We knew which state. We figured out the town 1-2 days before.
Our process:
"Tomorrow is Ohio. Let me look at towns in Ohio that are 4-6 hours from here."
Pick one with a hotel, safe running route, and reasonable access.
Book hotel night before (or morning of).
Run, sleep, repeat.
5. Assume Things Will Go Wrong
They did for us:
- Snowstorm in Pennsylvania (icy roads, flipped cars, delayed drive)
- Missed flight check-in by 20 minutes (Alaska → Seattle)
- RV parks all closed (winter)
- Hotels fully booked (random towns)
Our response: "Okay, what's next?"
We didn't panic. We adapted.
6. Accept that Consecutive Means Consecutive
If you're doing 50 marathons in 50 days, there are no buffer days.
Weather delays happen. Equipment fails. Bodies break. But the format demands you run anyway.
That's the challenge. That's what makes it meaningful.
The One Thing I Genuinely Wish I had Known
RV parks close in winter.
I budgeted for RV camping to save $8,000-12,000. By Day 4, we realized most were closed.
We had to book hotels every night. That wasn't in the budget.
If I could redo one thing: I'd budget for hotels from the start and treat RV camping as a bonus, not the plan.
If you're attempting in summer: RV camping works. You'll save thousands.
If you're attempting in winter: Budget for hotels. Don't assume parks will be open.
Best Tools For 50 States Marathon Route Planning
Lachlan Stuart used basic tools like…
Google Maps
Showed drive times
Showed nearby towns
Simple, free, worked offline
Booking.Com
Last-minute hotel bookings
Filter by price
Saved us multiple times when towns were sparse
We stayed at Best Westerns
Weather.com
Checked 2-3 days ahead
Adjusted route to avoid major storms
Strava heatmap
Showed popular running routes
Helped us find safe places to run in unfamiliar towns
That's it. No fancy software. Just basic tools.
About Lachlan Stuart’s 50 States Marathon Challenge Attempt
I'm Lachlan Stuart, and I completed the 50 states marathon challenge in 50 consecutive days during winter 2025 as part of a broader 58 marathons in 58 days project.
Planning a 50 states marathon challenge route is one of the most asked questions I get from runners considering the consecutive format.
My completion:
- 50 U.S. states (January 20 - March 11, 2025)
- First person to complete the 50 states marathon challenge in winter
- Third person in history to complete consecutively
- Raised $160,000 for mental health awareness
This route planning guide reflects real experience, not theory. Every recommendation comes from actual decisions made under pressure during the 50 states marathon challenge.
Final Thoughts On 50 States Marathon Route Planning
Here's the truth:
You cannot plan perfection. You can only plan direction.
The 50 states marathon challenge isn't a rigid itinerary. It's a living, breathing journey that adapts daily.
I spent 3 months planning a route. By Week 2, we'd thrown half of it out.
And that's okay.
What mattered:
We knew the general direction (west to east, cold to warm)
We knew Alaska and Hawaii had to be scheduled carefully
We stayed flexible when things went wrong
What didn't matter:
Exact towns
Perfect drive times
Optimized clusters
My advice:
Plan just enough to feel confident. Then trust yourself to adapt.
The route that works is the route you actually run, not the one you drew on a map.
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