Achieving goals mile after mile
By Kevin Schnepp Staff writer

Tom Hathaway is seen running a marathon. Photo provided

Can you envision yourself running a full-length marathon? How about 113 of the 26-mile treks?

If that still is not enough to make you tired simply from reading, imagine all the running practice put into each of those races. Combined, that easily amounts to more than 4,000 miles of running.

Perhaps now you have in mind the effort former Carroll County resident Tom Hathaway has exerted during the past 39 years.

But what has driven the 75 year-old to endure all those grueling miles?

"Goals," Hathaway explained. "I don't think I could have run this many without a goal. Without them, it's tougher."

Hathaway first ran a marathon in 1968 while he was a teacher and cross-country coach at Southport in Indianapolis. There he promised team members he would run a marathon if they took the state championship.

The team went on to win state, and repeated the act twice more in subsequent years. Hathaway ran a marathon each time, then found he was hooked on the challenging event.

"My first goal was to run a marathon," he explained. "I accomplished that, so I set out to run 100 marathons."

He ran two or three each year until 1996 when he kicked up the pace and ran approximately 12 annually.

When he reached the 100- marathon milestone, he said he was glad, but not fulfilled. He set his sights toward finishing a full marathon in all 50 states.

This year, Hathaway finds himself on the verge of completing his marathon-in-everystate goal. He plans to run in the 49th and 50th states, New Hampshire and Maine, in October.

Nearing the completion of his task, he said the experience has been bittersweet.

"It's kind of sad in a way," he explained. "I had a goal of 100, then all 50 states. I don't have a new one in mind yet, but I'll probably have to come up with one. But it's exciting because my body has held up. I have to feel blessed with that. It's not as much work because of the enjoyment."

Hathaway was the 11th of 16 children born to Earl and Hazel Hathaway. He was a 1950 graduate of Cutler High School. He attained his bachelor degree from Indiana Central in 1954, and one master's degree from Purdue University and another from Indiana University in 1962.

He and his wife, Carolyn Jane, have five daughters, Deborah, Diana, Denise, Darlene and Delores.

His wife and all five daughters plan to run in their father's 50th marathon along with him, though not all plan to complete the full distance.

Hathaway said he and his wife liked to plan a vacation around each marathon they attend. Time to relax before or after an event was helpful and the couple was able enjoy a vast array of America's landscape.

His favorite events thus far were Alaska and Hawaii because of the scenic views.

"We run along national parks and the like," he said. "It's so gorgeous, I almost forget about running."

His most arduous run, in Colorado, took him along the edge of Estes Park.

"It was so beautiful, but the race was so hard," he commented. "That one was pretty difficult."

Hathaway is a member of the 50 States Marathon Club, stationed in Texas. In an e-mail conversation last week, club president Tom Adair told the Comet only seven Indianabased members of the club have completed the 50-state circuit. Hathaway currently shares the honor with 297 club members nationwide.

He said he appreciated the club's support, which sends an award to members when they accomplish the goal.

"I wouldn't have gotten New Jersey or Delaware without the club's help," Hathaway explained. "There was no marathon in either state until the club helped form them."

Of his past accomplishments and that which he intends to realize in October, Hathaway said goals were always important motivators.

"It doesn't matter if you have one goal or 10," he said. "But have a goal."