For Ranjeet Singh, the 2024 Wisconsin Marathon was number 22.
Singh, of New Hampshire, ran in Saturday’s event in Kenosha as part of his mission to run a marathon in all 50 states in two years.
The annual event, which also included half marathon and 5K runs, began at 7 a.m. with nearly 1,000 total participants winding their way through Kenosha’s lakefront and Downtown.
Singh, who began his marathon mission last year, has been traveling the United States in an RV, running a marathon in each state as part of a goal he set for himself.
“I wanted to commemorate my 50 years of age,” he said. “So when I’m 70 or 80 I can say ‘Oh, when I was 50 I was running in all 50 states.’”
It only started with a marathon a month, but Singh has ramped things up to running three marathons per month. Unlike others who train months for a marathon, Singh’s training for marathons is running each race.
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“Whenever I run the marathon, I’m not running that fast, and whenever I run I’m thinking about the next marathon,” he said. “I’m just trying to (pass) the finish line.”
Running the nation
Singh’s marathon of marathons first started in Alaska, and he’s run them in Oregon, Idaho, Utah, Nebraska, Washington, Illinois, New Jersey, North Carolina, California, South Carolina, Arizona, Georgia, Alabama, Florida, Texas, Mississippi, Louisiana, Massachusetts, Kentucky and, as of Saturday, in Wisconsin.
Singh said he is working his way east from west, where his last race, the Boston Marathon, will round out his marathon journey.
“Boston I’m going to run twice in this journey,” he said. “So in total I can say I’m going to run 51 (races).”
Among his favorite races so far have been the Chicago Marathon, Boston Marathon and the Beaver Canyon Marathon in Utah. The most challenging race, though, was Austin Marathon in Texas.
The biggest challenge to running a marathon for Singh, is the mental resilience.
“I can say at mile 20, there is a fight between body and mind,” he said. “So if you’re (stronger in the mind), then you can finish the marathon very strongly. If you control your body with your mind, then you’re a real winner.”
Top finishers
Of the nearly 255 runners who entered the Wisconsin Marathon Saturday, 31-year-old Johnny Binzak, of Chicago, was the first to cross the finish line with a time of 2:32:07.
Binzak, who grew up in Racine, won the race for a second year in a row.
“Overall it’s a fun race and a great course,” he said.
The toughest part of the race for Binzak was running by himself for most of the race. “(And) just trying to stay mentally engaged,” he said.
Kris Bachman, of Delafield, was the first woman to finish the race with a time of 3:05:05, a personal best for the 41-year-old.
“It’s really emotional (to win). I just pour myself into training. It’s a lot of dedication and sacrifice, but it’s all worth it in the end,” she said. “It’s an example to my kids of what it means to be dedicated to something and to work hard.”
The toughest part of the race for Bachman was cramping up at around mile 17.
“I had to work through it mentally,” she said. “It became a mental game in the second half of the race, so you just have to roll with it. And every mile is its own battle.”
Bachman said it wasn’t just her winning that day.
“Everyone is winning,” she said. “We’ve all had to go through a lot of challenges and adversities just to get to the starting line. And it just feels like running is such a personal journey for for everyone and that’s why we’re here.”
Taking second and third place in the men’s marathon division, respectively, were 40-year-old Mieczyslaw Swiatkowski, of Orland Park, Ill., with a time of 2:40:30, and 45-year-old Brian Falcone, of Pleasant Prairie, with a time of 2:43:23.
In second and third place of the women’s marathon division were 35-year-old Kristen Boyer, of Elmhurst, Ill., with a time of 3:12:08, and 35-year-old Sarah Lancour, of Janesville, with a time of 3:22:44.
A full list of results is available online at tinyurl.com/2f774u5y.