Everyone needs a hobby and midway through my 45th year I decided that I would try to run 50 marathons by the time I turn 50 years old. It’s been a long haul since my first marathon in May 2004, but the plan came together on November 25, 2018, when I ran my fiftieth marathon on my actual fiftieth birthday at the Seattle Marathon. With a dozen Vancouver Marathons and ten Okanagan and Seattle Marathons among my 50 marathons, it’s not a diverse list, but that’s how I roll. Call me a marathoner of convenience. Think globally, race locally. Also on the list are fifteen marathons that I ran as a Running Room pace bunny. Racing every marathon is hard so slowing it down a little to lead a pace group helped me squeeze in more races the past few years, so thank you to the Running Room for the opportunity to don the bunny ears on a regular basis since 2012.
The Complete 50/50 List
(updated to May 7, 2023)
| 1. | Vancouver | May 04 | 3:04:16 |
| 2. | Okanagan | Oct 04 | 3:04:29 |
| 3. | Seattle | Nov 04 | 3:10:11 |
| 4. | Boston | Apr 05 | 3:05:02 |
| 5. | Okanagan | Oct 05 | 2:53:40 |
| 6. | Seattle | Nov 05 | 2:58:02 |
| 7. | Boston | Apr 06 | 2:58:01 |
| 8. | Calgary | July 06 | 3:04:40 |
| 9. | Okanagan | Oct 06 | 2:52:53 |
| 10. | Boston | Apr 07 | 2:53:05 |
| 11. | New York City | Nov 07 | 2:50:47 |
| 12. | Vancouver | May 08 | 2:47:35 |
| 13. | Royal Victoria | Oct 08 | 2:46:55 |
| 14. | Seattle | Nov 08 | 2:49:55 |
| 15. | Vancouver | May 09 | 2:44:55 |
| 16. | Royal Victoria | Oct 09 | 2:48:22 |
| 17. | Vancouver | May 10 | 2:46:49 |
| 18. | Victoria | Oct 10 | 2:48:50 |
| 19. | Vancouver | May 11 | 2:45:38 |
| 20. | Okanagan | Oct 11 | 2:49:30 |
| 21. | Vancouver | May 12 | 2:55:31 |
| 22. | Okanagan | Oct 12 | 3:43:01 |
| 23. | Seattle | Nov 12 | 3:01:57 |
| 24. | Vancouver | May 13 | 3:44:11 |
| 25. | Calgary | May 13 | 3:14:03 |
| 26. | Kamloops | July 13 | 2:57:13 |
| 27. | Surrey | Sep 13 | 2:59:19 |
| 28. | Okanagan | Oct 13 | 3:26:08 |
| 29. | Seattle | Dec 13 | 2:56:54 |
| 30. | Boston | Apr 14 | 3:03:38 |
| 31. | Vancouver | May 14 | 3:27:52 |
| 32. | Calgary 1 | Jun 14 | 3:01:13 |
| 33. | Portland | Oct 14 | 2:57:08 |
| 34. | Okanagan | Oct 14 | 3:13:39 |
| 35. | Seattle | Nov 14 | 3:01:52 |
| 36. | Vancouver | May 15 | 3:04:28 |
| 37. | Okanagan | Oct 15 | 2:59:35 |
| 38. | Seattle | Nov 15 | 2:58:41 |
| 39. | Vancouver | May 16 | 3:27:51 |
| 40. | Calgary | May 16 | 3:14:02 |
| 41. | Seattle | Nov 16 | 3:12:42 |
| 42. | Vancouver | May 17 | 3:29:37 |
| 43. | RnR Seattle | Jun 17 | 3:09:19 |
| 44. | Edmonton | Aug 17 | 3:06:14 |
| 45. | Okanagan | Oct 17 | 3:14:14 |
| 46. | Seattle | Nov 17 | 3:09:24 |
| 47 | Vancouver | May 18 | 3:15:01 |
| 48 | RnR Seattle | Jun 18 | 3:14:40 |
| 49. | Okanagan | Oct 18 | 3:26:53 |
| 50. | Seattle | Nov 18 | 3:11:41 |
| 51. | Vancouver | May 19 | 3:19:10 |
| 52. | Vancouver 2 | Jul 20 | 3:36:56 |
| 53. | Vancouver | May 22 | 3:18:57 |
| 54. | Vancouver | May 23 | 3:30:23 |
1. The 2014 Calgary Marathon 50k included a certified, Boston-eligible marathon split time.
2. The 2020 Vancouver Marathon was changed to a virtual event in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.
I’ve also been keeping a checklist of race times and got to knock 3:11 off that list with my 50th marathon. Check out the marathon checklist here.