- August 6, 2026
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Take 26.2 miles. Multiply that by 50. You'll end up with the number of miles Sarasota runner Vinny O'Shaughnessy logged running a marathon in every single state in the United States.
And yes, that does include Hawaii and Alaska.
Some people may struggle to decide what to do next after finishing such a herculean task, but O'Shaughnessy, 65, was quick to find his next goal, and he is working toward running a half marathon in every state.
The runner slowed down long enough to offer insights into his remarkable drive in an interview.
His final race was in Atlantic City, closing out his marathon journey before the end of 2025. He said reaching this particular finish line meant everything.
"It was so wonderful, because so many friends came out to run it with me from Long Island," he said. "When I got to the finish line, all my friends and family who don't run were there, and it was overwhelming."
At least 25 supporters, even grade-school friends, stood at the finish to share in the moment.
O'Shaughnessy experienced plenty of memorable moments along the way, and while each race offered something unique, he said running the Boston Marathon held special significance.
He is a retired New York police officer, and he appreciates being able to support fellow former members of the force through the charitable work many of these races support.
The Boston Marathon is also one of the most elite in the world and is among the nine Abbott World Marathon Majors.
Participants in this particular race fuel their runs with a bevy of motivational reasons, many in memory of victims of the 2013 bombing of the Boston Marathon.
O'Shaughnessy has many motivations propelling him forward, including his indomitable efforts to overcome cancer, a broken leg, and whatever else life throws at him, all while maintaining a "can do" attitude.
Finishing his 50th marathon wasn't the only big news for him at the end of 2025. He also proposed to his now fiancée in December in Mexico under the ruse of a simple family vacation.
O'Shaughnessy tackled his first 5K in 2007 and first marathon in 2008.
"I found this Couch to 5K running program, and that's how I started running," he said. "I remember my high school science teacher was beating me, and he's like 90 years old now. I said, 'There's no way he's going to beat me,' so I ran as fast as I could at the end just to beat him."
During his first 5K, he had a brush with a nun in her 70s also doing the race.
"She pedals past me on a regular bicycle, ringing her bell, with a basket on it," he said while chuckling. "Talk about demoralizing."
O'Shaughnessy didn't know then it was just the first step on an unforgettable journey.
His running career snowballed when he picked up a flyer for another 5K after his first race. Upon finishing his second race, he found a leaflet for Team in Training, a program organized by the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society for working up to a marathon.
"That was the beginning of the end for me," he joked. "I don't do anything halfway. If you're going to do it, do it."
That running bug led him to coaching certification school, after which he joined the Road Runners Club of America. He said he enjoys coaching both because it keeps him on track and lets him encourage people just getting into the sport.
He next set his sights on his first Ironman competition, planning to run the famous Lake Placid course. As race day approached, he began to feel under the weather and discovered health issues with his thyroid.
After undergoing radiation treatment, he returned to his fitness journey.
"My comeback from that was a half Ironman in Cozumel," he said, noting it ended up being his fastest finish time.
He worked to overcome other physical hurdles along the way, including a femoral break from a bad bike collision during a Philadelphia triathlon in 2009.
He couldn't put weight on the leg for three months. It was another three months before he could start exercising again, and then even longer before he could run.
"The week after the doctor gave me the OK, I went and did the half Ironman in North Carolina," he said. "That's when I knew I was getting better."
Always eager to find his next challenge, O'Shaughnessy began eyeing the 50-state challenge after seeing news coverage of Carmen Reyes Cruz doing it in 2017 in Alaska.
"We happened to run a marathon together in Rhode Island," he said, noting she was also a coach for Team in Training.
She invited him to join a group heading up for the Alaska marathon, and that was when he made up his mind to take on the challenge. After all, he had just checked off one of the furthest states.
O'Shaughnessy jumped in with both feet, completing a dozen marathons in 2017 alone. But there were some unforeseen challenges in the years to come.
The next "bump in the road," as he calls it, came in 2019, when a lymph node removal from his neck revealed a meningioma brain tumor.
"Luckily, that is stable now," he said.
While the news was a lot to process, he noted the growth of such tumors is quite slow for patients his age. He resolved to continue onward with his mission with check-ins every six months.
"It really didn't get to me," he added, noting a second operation on his lymph node was more of a challenge.
Doctors had to go back to remove some tissue left behind on the first pass. Unfortunately, that appointment came during the COVID-19 pandemic, and the hospital had to delay his surgery when O'Shaughnessy caught it.
Yet, he weathered that "road bump" too.
After finishing the Maine Coast Marathon in 2023, he again felt something wasn't right. Doctors found a nodule on his lung and fluid around his heart.
"They weren't too concerned, but I said, 'I've already had two bouts with cancer. Let's do a biopsy just to be sure.' Thank God I did," he said.
It turned out to be non-small cell stage two lung cancer. He needed to have part of a lung removed.
Again, at a point when any runner could have understandably hung up their shoes, he kept pushing forward.
"Sometimes, I had to keep it to walking, but I always tried to do something to stay on track," he said.
He was 42 states into his list after recovering from lung surgery and, as a self-described "stubborn Irishman," he said there was no stopping him.
"Six months later was the Boston Marathon, and I called up a buddy of mine in the Boston Run Club and told him, 'I want in,'" he said.
He ran with Cops for Kids with Cancer in 2024, raising over $13,000 for charity to earn his spot. Even three broken ribs courtesy of a slip on Ringling Bridge during training couldn't keep him from crossing that finish line and beating the cutoff time.
Then, another setback: O'Shaughnessy had to pause training for a total hip replacement.
It was November 2024, and he was only four races away from the ultimate finish line. With the OK from his doctor, he started running for 10 seconds and walking for two minutes, gradually increasing intervals.
"At that point, I wanted to hurry up and finish, because I'm starting to expect lightning and locusts," he laughed.
The Atlantic City Marathon was his white whale, as it needed to be deferred before both the lung and hip replacement surgeries.
"I had two shirts and no medal," he said. "Believe it or not, I made it from July to October (of 2025) without getting hurt."
The finish line for his 50th race was a party. He said, "It was incredible to have those people there. We had people from Ireland. We had people from Mexico. One of my best friends from school that I've known since we were 5 was there, along with two of our other childhood friends."
He continued, "There's one photo from the finish where I have the biggest smile on my face because I could see those people now."
Tom Tatarian, a fellow Manasota Track Club member and good friend of 35 years, was one of those supporters. The two worked as police officers on Long Island before moving here.
He is proud of the charitable work his friend has done to support fellow retired officers and their families. Tatarian said O'Shaughnessy's determination and friendliness are worth recognizing.
Seeing O'Shaughnessy cross that finish line on the final marathon was unforgettable, he said.
"A bunch of us ran the half marathon so we could be done and waiting at the finish line for him," he said. "His son and daughter were there, and I've known them for 35 years. It was a lot of fun and a nice celebration."
In order to get his plaque officially recognizing his accomplishment from the 50 States Marathon Club, O'Shaughnessy had to submit official timed results for each. He had to backtrack a bit to find all the right information.
"You have to send either a finisher's certificate or a time from the race into a committee for review," he explained. "It was quite the struggle, because when I first started doing this, I didn't plan on doing all 50 states. Some of these races were nowhere to be found anymore."
Tracking down North Carolina's marathon results was a particular challenge. He participated in a triathlon, which includes a marathon as part of the challenge.
"It was a local charity race called Beach to Battleship, but then Ironman bought it," he said. "The website for Beach to Battle was gone. Luckily, a very nice person at Ironman went through the records, and about a month later, said, 'Here you go.' I was glad I didn't have to do North Carolina again."
In total, he ran more than 60 marathons, including in Paris and Dublin.
Reaching his marathon goal hasn't kept him off the track. He is now up to 11 states for his half-marathon mission after adding The Hapalua Half in Honolulu, Hawaii, and the Coeur d’Alene Half in Idaho.
He also incorporated several biking events in his training, riding 300 miles from Ground Zero to Washington, D.C., with Law Enforcement United.
Next up, he is off to the United Kingdom for the Police Unity Tour this week, where participants will ride 200 miles over three days, from London to The National Arboretum, to benefit the Concerns of Police Survivors (C.O.P.S.).
His half-marathon docket, meanwhile, includes races in West Virginia and Arkansas.
While he is a prolific distance runner, he said he is perhaps most excited for a special 5K charity run in September benefiting the Tunnel to Towers Foundation.
As he shifts his attention to half marathons, O'Shaughnessy said he is also happily cheering on runner friends making their way through their own roads to 50.
He recommends finding a charity that offers training with certified coaches for anyone looking to start long-distance running.
That is how he began.
"The Couch to 5K is really a great way to just get started," he said.
He advises finding a social group along the way, especially considering the races he ran with friends are the ones that have stuck with him the most.
