Across America on Foot

AlanTardy: Born 1954. Have lived in Massachusetts all my life. House painter by trade. Ran San Francisco, CA. to Northampton, MA. in 1978. Carried a knapsack. Raised funds and awareness for a birth defect (Spina Bifida) and our efforts have been credited, by many, to have helped change medical history.

Frank Giannino: (b1952), from the Hudson area of New York, ran across the USA twice. Run #1 from Los Angeles to NYC in 60d6h (3/1/79-4/30/79)(50 mpd). Run #2 from SF to NYC in 46d8h36m (9/1/80-10/17/80)(67 mpd). Held the Guinness Book Record for 36 years.

Jay Birmingham: Born in 1945. Lived in Ohio, Colorado, Nebraska, Florida. Profession: college and high school science teacher and coach. 72 marathons, 35+ ultramarathons. Ran from Los Angeles to New York City in 1980, unsupported with a backpack. Ran from Ft. Kent, Maine to Key West, Florida in 1982.

LouisMichael Figueroa: Best known for inspiring the famous words of Forrest Gump during his 1982 run across the US to fulfill a promise to a dying friend. "When I got tired, I slept. When I got hungry, I ate. And when I had to go, you know, I went."

Jim Starkovich: After retiring from IBM and one of the older transcon runners, at age 56, Jim ran 2381 miles from Fernandina Beach, FL to La Jolla, CA in 77 days. He was supported by a van with driver wife Jo. Jim has run 14 marathons and has run in all US states and provinces and territories of Canada plus 60 different countries.

Brian Stark: Running solo and with only a 10-pound hip pack, Brian, 26, was the first to run nearly 5,000 miles across the US from Delaware to California on a collection of trails called the American Discovery Trail.

Jim McCord: Ran supported with RV and driver in 2002 from San Diego to Wash DC. Purpose was to raise public awareness (through radio, tv and newspapers) to the underfunding of Diabetes research through NIH. Had only run one marathon previously. Life-changing experience. Born 1957, four children, five grandchildren.

John Wallace III: Starting on his dad’s birthday and ending on his mom’s, John covered over 3800 miles and 12 states during his 2004-2005 solo crossing. Using James E. Shapiro’s initial crossing list as a guide, John created usacrossers.com to promote and archive transcontinental USA crossings as well as provide a resource for former, current, and future crossers.

Helene Neville: Helene, a cancer survivor, became the first woman to run across every state in the United States - 13,850 miles/nine years to Rethink Impossible. Helene has authored five books, is a nurse, a health care advocate, and an Inspirational speaker.

Jeff Grabosky: Ran solo and unsupported for more than 3,700 miles over the course of exactly four months from California to New York in 2011. He gathered prayer intentions from thousands of people all over the world and prayed a decade of the Rosary for each of those requests as he ran.

Milton Miller: After a long career in Information Technology, Milton Miller chose to become a professional vagabond, adventurer, ultra-runner, motorcycle enthusiast, sailor, entrepreneur, and writer. Since 2009 he has been traveling the world nearly full time, not worrying very much about being an adult.

Chris Finill & Steve Pope: Chris was born in the street where Roger Bannister lived so he had no choice but to run. He has represented Great Britain at both 100k and 24 hours and has completed every edition of the London Marathon since its inception in 1981. Steve is a free spirit and author having written several books covering education and great British inventions. He plans to retire soon so that he can spend more time with his debts.

Doug Masiuk: First person with Type 1 Diabetes to run across the US. His mission was to share with a world that if he could run across the continent that anything is possible with Diabetes. Along the way he met and spoke with over 100000 people to share this message. Doug was diagnosed in 1977.

Rosalynn Frederick: Traveler who loves exploring the physical world, as well as the spiritual world. Jogged ⅔ of the way across the country in Vibram Five Fingers (walked the rest in regular running shoes). Wore the same shirt every single day on the road for her 5 month journey.

Benjamin Lee: At 24 years old, Ben had hoped to become the youngest Australian to cross America on foot. From San Francisco to Delaware Bay, his adventure of a lifetime took 6.5 months to complete while raising money for Oxfam. During his solo walk, he spent three weeks crossing the Rocky Mountains with Joe Bell (as portrayed in the film Good Joe Bell).

Newton Baker: B1942, January 16, 2015 start on my birthday, finished Race Across USA 140 days later, 2nd oldest (73) to finish a Transcon. 25 consecutive USA National 24-Hour races with 14 Age Group 1sts, 7 AG 2nds, 2 AG 3rds. Finished 8th Overall in Canadian Open section of 2007 World 24 Hour Championship.

Pete Kostelnick: In 2016, broke Frank Giannino’s long standing record for fastest run across America, averaging 72 miles per day over 42 days/6 hours/30 minutes. In 2018, ran self-supported with a stroller from Kenai, Alaska to Key West, Florida in just under 100 days, averaging 55 miles per day.

Henrik Aarup Svendsen: First Dane to run across USA. Born in Aalborg in 1966, 49 years when running. Profession: Entrepreneur and owner of valve company; Mars Valve Europe A/S. My crossing was Inspired by Andrew Payne, the winner of the first foot race across the USA in 1928. Running for a good cause: Youth For Understanding. (YFU).

Jan Walker: A native of Knoxville, TN, Jan had always been active outdoors. But by her 50’s, she found herself severely overweight. Beginning with a simple “get off the couch and walk out the door”, she soon began completing long distance runs, and even completed an Ironman! At 57, solo and unsupported, she ran 3,154 miles across the U.S. from Oceanside, CA to Ocean City, MD in 7 months.

Lindsay Monroe: In November of 2017, left her jobs as a photographer and bartender to walk across America. She walked from South Carolina to Oregon in 9 months and 2 days, in Arkansas a stray dog started following her and never left.

Noah & Robert Barnes: At 16 months of age, Noah was diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes. When he was 10, he convinced his father, Robert, to March across the America with him to find a cure. He is the youngest person on record to have walked across the United States. Robert is the only person on record to walk across America, then ride a bicycle back.

Nicholas Ashill: Born in 1964. Started his run at the end of Santa Monica Pier, Los Angeles on 14 May 2017. Following historical Route 66. Ran 4000km but was hit by a pickup truck in Ohio on 2 August 2017. The driver did not stop. Spent 4 months in hospital. Returning to Ohio in May 2020 to finish his run. Running to raise awareness of Pulmonary Fibrosis, a disease of the lungs.

Amanda Standley: Walked from Cape Henlopen, Delaware to Bodega Bay, California in 2017 (3,300 miles and 8 ½ months) at the age of 22. Woke up from a dream with the idea, convinced to do it by a student, and raised money for underprivileged children along the way. The greatest gift from my walk was learning about human connection.

Sandra Villines: In 2017, Sandra, a wife, mom, grandma, and ultra runner coach, set a new women’s transcontinental speed record of 54 days, 16 hours, 23 minutes. She broke the longstanding record from 1979 by more than 15 days. Currently living in San Jose, California, Sandra is the General Manager at a flagship store for Skechers.

lazarus lake

began running in 1966,

and have competed at events ranging from 440 yards to 6 days,

on roads, tracks, and trails.

began journey running in 1980,

the 2018 transcon was the realization of a lifelong dream....

but, the itch has not been cured.

Thomas Curran: Ditched a 30-year career as a chef and restaurant owner to walk 3,235 miles across America in 2019 and re-discover life. During my walk, I raised $21,220 for the Pediatric Cancer Research Foundation. I started my walk on February 2, 2019 at Holden Beach, NC and finished 231 days later at Newport Beach, CA at the pier I hung out at growing up. My dog, Wink, made it 1300 miles to Oklahoma City before being sent home due to excessive heat and a minor shoulder strain. During my walk, I wrote a murder mystery using my journey as the backdrop which will be published early 2020.

Patrick Binienda: In 1976 after watching the Olympic marathon Patrick said to his roommates “I can do that.” In 1978 Patrick ran his first marathon and in 1984 took it a step further by becoming an ultramarathoner. Forty+ years of running and twenty years of planning Patrick and his wife Terry cast everything aside to take on the adventure of their lives.