As far as cross country running is concerned, what John Wallace is trying to accomplish is not unprecedented, but it is formidable, nonetheless.
Wallace, who lives in Houston and has run marathons in 47 states, wants to run in all 50, in addition to the District of Columbia. When he runs in the Renaissance AllSports Athletic Club's Last Train to Boston Marathon in Edgewood on March 4, " it will represent the 48th state in which he has run a marathon.
"I'm not unique in that there is an informal club composed of members who have either accomplished that or are on their way to accomplishing that," says Wallace, 50.
He didn't begin his pursuit until 2 1/2 years ago and not until he had run 60 marathons, including a personal record of 2 hours, 58 minutes at the Twin Cities Marathon in 1988.
"I woke up one morning and thought, 'I've run all the big ones; I have run in 60 marathons. What am I going to do now?' " he says. "I thought, 'I have 20 states in; I might as well run the other 30.' And like other marathoners, moderation is not in my vocabulary. It has taken me 30 months to do 30 marathons."
He says his favorite marathon, although not the most picturesque, is Boston.
"Boston has the most mystique," says Wallace, a telecommunications salesman. "The most beautiful marathon I can remember is Big Sur. I would rate it as the prettiest of the 90 I've run so far."
The toughest, he says, was the Whiskey Row Marathon in Prescott, Ariz. "That's because you run up one side of a mountain and down the other side and then you turn and come back," he says.
He hopes to make the City of Burlington Marathon in Vermont on May 28 his 49th state and the Sunburst Marathon in South Bend, Ind., on June 11 his 50th.
Once his U.S. quest is accomplished, he might expand it to an international one.
"I've done London, Athens, Rio [de Janeiro]," he says. "I might try the Canadian provinces next."
More Last Train
Brad Roberts, the director of the Last Train to Boston, says the race has drawn entrants from 15 states. "We expect about 25 states," he said. . . . Roberts also said: "I don't know if it's an omen or what, but Wallace was the 48th entrant.". . . . Roberts said the race is on a pace to break the 1992 record field of 220. "I attribute that to the 100th anniversary of the Boston Marathon coming up in April 1996." Runners can use their Last Train times to qualify for either this year's Boston Marathon or 1996's. . . . Entries are $20 before Feb. 23 and $23 afterward (including race day). For information, call Roberts at (410) 638-1091. . . . For Last Train lovers, there's this from Roberts: "We're anticipating having a special Last Train to Boston on Dec. 30, 1995, because the deadline for qualifying [for 1996] is Dec. 31.". . . . RASAC's Friends 5-Miler was not held Sunday and will be rescheduled in April. . . . The WRRC's Treat Shop Eight-Mile Shuttle Relay, which had been scheduled for Sunday, has been rescheduled for next Sunday at the same time and place. . . . Sunday's results:
BRRC Cherry Pie 10-Miler At Patterson Park Males: 1. Chris Sinclair, 71:52; 2. Gary Cooper, 72:42; 3. Jim Buck, 73:17; 4. Dale Jordan, 74:52; 5. Bob McHugh, 75:50. Masters: 1. Buck.
Females: 1. Edie Tress, 79:40; 2. Christy St. Clair, 84:31; 3. Janice Chason, 86:26; 4. Ruth Hens, 95:56; 5. Sandy Buck, 95:57. Masters: 1. Tress.
Coming events
Sunday, RASAC Tuneup for Md.-D.C. Club Championship 15K, Aberdeen, 8 a.m., (410) 838-1931.
Sunday, BRRC Valentine's 8-Miler, Loch Raven, 9 a.m., (410) 243-3153.
Sunday, Annapolis Striders' Valentine's Twosome Relay, Severna Park Middle School, 10 a.m., (410) 268-1165.
Sunday, Valentine's Day 5-Mile Couples Run, Wilmington, Del., 11 a.m., (302) 234-0918.
Sunday, WRRC Treat Shop Eight-Mile Shuttle Relay, Westminster, noon, (410) 848-4562.
Sunday, Hampton Coliseum Half-Marathon, 5K, Hampton, Va., 1 p.m., (800) 800-2202.
Sunday, HCS Winter Series #6, Longfellow Elementary School, 2 p.m., (410) 964-1998.
Feb. 18, Annapolis Striders' Washington's Birthday 5K, Arnold, 10 a.m., (410) 268-1165.
Feb. 18, Indian Rock 10K, Indian Rock, Pa., 10 a.m., (717) 755-6806.
Feb. 18, BRRC Indoor Track and Field Meet, Catonsville Community College, 6-9 p.m., (410) 789-7560.
Feb. 19, Washington's Birthday Marathon, Greenbelt, 10:30 a.m., 248-5619.
Feb. 19, HCS Winter Series #7, Swansfield Elementary School, 2 p.m., (410) 964-1998.