Man leaves job to run 50 marathons

Tired of the run-around at his corporate job, Craig Holcomb opted for another kind of foot race. Holcomb left his job as the chief financial officer at Little Tikes, sold his home and spent the past year on the road with his dog, Tonka, pursuing a goal of completing 50 marathons in 50 states.

"There are three people that I know of that have done this," Holcomb said. "There are clubs out there called 50-state clubs, but these people run the marathons in a lifetime."

Holcomb completed his goal in 50 weeks.

"The things I got to see, and the people I got to meet _ it was a real opportunity," Holcomb said. "I count my blessings every day that I got to do something like this."

The running started Jan. 2 in Mobile, Ala., and ended Sunday in South Carolina. He ran 48 marathons (26.2 miles) and two ultra marathons (about 31 miles) in all.

"I spent so much time getting to one place in my job, and then looking at what I have to do to get to the next level. It was very stressful," he said. "I just have to take some time off and get a new balance on life, so I combined the two things I love to do: running and traveling."

The 38-year-old found that logistics were a challenge. A couple of the marathons he entered were canceled and some had lotteries that he didn't win.

There were five weekends he didn't run, forcing him to run back to back marathons five times.

"That was tough," he said. "I would run one race and then have to do one the next day."

He ran most of the marathons in four hours, and although he was focused mainly on finishing, he won two _ one in South Dakota and one in Kentucky.

Holcomb ran some races hurt after injuring his knee earlier in the year and his hip during the summer. He limped through about 10 miles of one race.

"I haven't discovered a cure for blisters," he said.