LEBANON COUNTY, Pa. — Running is a passion for many across the country.
Completing marathons in every single state isn't.
For Lebanon's Ron Newhart, running used to just be daily exercise, but now it is his passion which he has turned into a national goal to run a marathon in all 50 states.
"I went to the Army for four years and stopped running after I had a family once I got out," said Newhart. "A friend of mine at IBM talked to me about running a marathon. I didn’t do enough preparation, but I ran the first marathon; it was a great experience and I was hooked."
That obsession has led him to run some of the most famous marathons in the world, like the Boston Marathon, among others.
"It’s a great way to see the United States and see different places," said Newhart "So I've started to map out my journey one state at a time, and that has led me up to today, where I'm at 45 states."
For every completed race Nehart has earned a medal. His large collection in his basement serves as motivation. The remaining states include Washington, Colorado, Minnesota, Oregon and Maryland.
His 50th and final marathon will be in Baltimore, Maryland in October as he makes history and finishes the goal he never imagined he might try to complete.
"In the end, it’s not just finishing the 50, it’s the journey," said Newhart. "It's all the places we got to go to, all the people we got to connect to along the way, and all the states that make it really special."