Mendham Man Reaches 10,000 Consecutive Runs

MENDHAM, NJ — For those who cringe at the thought of going for a light jog, what Mark Washburne accomplished on May 17 might seem impossible: he went for his 10,000th run in a row.

Starting in 1989, Mashburne, a history professor and Mendham resident, has laced up his shoes and set out for a run every single day, regardless of the weather or any other factors.

“It started after I wondered how long it had been since I missed a day and I went back into my logs to check,” Washburne, 61, told the Daily Record. “My longest streak to that point was 52 days, and I decided to beat that. Once you get into one of these streaks, you tend to keep going.”

Washburne runs a minimum of three miles every day, and is the President of the U.S. Running Streak Association.

"I have had days when I wish I wasn't doing it," Washburn told the Observer Tribune in 2012. "But every days is a new day to add to my list."

His 8,508th run was April 13, 2013 when he ran in that year's Boston Marathon. A series of small events-- a friend had a leg cramp, he decided to meet his girlfriend at the hotel instead of the family meeting area-- lead Washburne away from the site of the bombings.

When asked by Patch in 2013 if he would continue his running career, his answer was certain: “Yes I am going back. I love running. I am not going to let the terrorists win. I am definitely going back.”

>>>Read More: Fateful Decisions Kept CCM Professor from Boston Blast Site

Image: Patch file photo

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