“Realize you can do more than you ever dreamed, even when the going gets tough. Assigning a
special person to each mile and dedicating that mile to them, taking time to enjoy
the scenery and the ride, and adjusting goals ... can carry you through the
tough spots,” Warwick says.
“I told Steve, ‘We
aren’t stopping! I
know the course; we
are going to finish
this race,’” she says.
“When we heard
the clock was still
running, we pressed
on and reached the
finish line.”
Mountainous courses,
extreme weather and wildlife
presented extra challenges, but none
deterred Warwick.
“Living at sea level with few hills made for some tough running
experiences in mountainous states,” she says. “I looked for downhill
marathons, when possible, but that can be tough on the legs. I ran
several marathons in rain start to finish. I encountered freezing
rain in Little Rock, Nashville, and Jackson, Mississippi. My hottest
marathons took place in Hawaii, Phoenix, Dubuque, Iowa, and
Deadwood, South Dakota.”
Then COVID hit.
“I was on track to finish my Fifty States Challenge in 2020, with
only four states left. Then, everything was canceled,” she says. “They
tried rescheduling only to have to cancel repeatedly.”
Finally, Alaska, one of Warwick’s four remaining states, held
its marathon in June 2021. She completed it, despite a mid-race
rerouting due to a bear on the course that added an entire mile to
the already daunting 26.2-mile marathon distance.
After Alaska came Vermont and Colorado, which Warwick
completed in consecutive weekends. Each location offered beautiful
sights and wonderful outdoor activities.
Then came the Maui Oceanfront Marathon in Hawaii. “Volcanic
eruptions in Tonga triggered tsunami warnings on race day,” she
says. “We were told to seek higher ground if we
heard warning sirens!”
Fortunately, no tidal waves came, and Warwick
successfully completed her Fifty State Challenge.
“Twenty other runners finished their 50ths that day. We all
earned special medals for our efforts.”
Shortly thereafter, the Fifty States Club certified Warwick’s
completion of the Challenge.
“Looking back, I’m grateful to my family and friends for
understanding the time and resources I needed to train, plan
and travel, and for their support. I am also grateful for the simple
ability to run,” she says.
Warwick met many other inspiring runners along the way, each
with a unique background and unique goals.
“Our one shared goal was to succeed in crossing that finish line,”
she says. “It’s a marathon. It’s not supposed to be easy.”
Warwick is eager to pass along the priceless wisdom and
insights she gained during her quest to conquer the Fifty States
Challenge.
“Celebrate your accomplishments,” she urges other runners.
“Realize you can do more than you ever dreamed, even when the
going gets tough. Assigning a special person to each mile and dedi-cating
that mile to them, taking time to enjoy the scenery and the
ride, and adjusting goals, when necessary, can carry you through
the tough spots. There are times when you will question your sanity,
but you will finish, and you will soon be looking forward to your
next race.”
Runners and other endurance athletes will attest that the most
painful moments teach the most valuable lessons. We learn to
appreciate what we often take for granted — our families, friends,
bodies, health, fitness, the very passage of time itself.
The wisdom we gain when we accept and strive to conquer insur-mountable
challenges, as Warwick has, cannot be quantified. This
wisdom is life’s greatest reward.
Above: The 50 States Marathon Club awards a trophy to all mem-bers
who provide documentation of their accomplishment. Inset,
top left: Warwick holds up her GO! St. Louis Marathon finisher
medal in 2019.
COURTESY OF SUSAN WARWICK
32 may 2022
WBM