Live life to the fullest! That is what you’ll hear everyone tell you. Well, I’m here to agree. I’m not here to tell you how to do that. You will have to figure that out on your own. I’m just here to tell you about where I’ve been, and how I’ve been making sure I’m living life to its fullest while appreciating all that I have, too. What is that for me then? Spending time traveling and working on my quest to run a 5K in all 50 states.
Where was I in 2025?
So if you’re wondering about where I’ve been and why I say I’ve been living life to its fullest with no regrets, here is what I’ve been doing. I’ve been spending the time with friends, traveling, and running across the US. Yes, running, actual running. My friend, Stacie, has inspired me and invited me along on her running quest. Quest!? A quest to run a 5K in all 50 states! Stacie has become a good friend, and you really need to check out her books on Amazon.
Good Grief: A Widow’s Guide to Healing
Coming Back from Broken: A Young Widow’s Journey
My 5K in all 50 States Quest
Well, what is my reason for running a 5K in all 50 states? First, it keeps me active. Second, I actually love running. Third, I get to see so many places and meet new people. Fourth, why not? Why not embrace something, challenge yourself, and find yourself? Which is what I have done a lot of this past year: find myself, embrace who I am, and focus on myself.
Missouri 5K
The 5K that I picked to cross off as the Missouri 5K was the St. Louis Cardinals 5K. Normally, it is held in April, but due to excessive rain and storms, it was rescheduled for the end of May.
My Running Inspiration
We’ve all had those posters of our celebrity crushes, our icons, and inspirations growing up. Let me tell you about one of my celebrity icons. Jackie Joyner-Kersee. I remember watching her run. She was fast, and I thought she was the coolest woman on Earth. She was my inspiration. I wanted to run like she did. Fast-forward to May 31, 2025. I was in St. Louis to run the St. Louis Cardinals 5K to benefit Cardinals Care. It was going to be my Missouri 5K. Running, St. Louis Cardinals, summer vacation, and Busch Stadium. Each year, the Cardinals 5K is centered around a Hall of Famer. This year, it was Ray Lankford. Growing up in the 90s, Ray Lankford is one of the players I distinctly remember.
So, all that to say, I was expecting Ray Lankford to be at the 5K. Who I wasn’t expecting was Jackie Joyner-Kersee. Yes, my inspiration! The woman whose poster I had on my wall growing up. I was excited at the thought that I might just get a close-up picture. Never did I imagine that I would meet her. I actually met Jackie Joyner-Kersee! She was doing a TV interview and had paused to talk to a few people afterward, so I just went up to talk and ask for a picture. She was so kind! I got to tell her that she was my running inspiration, and I had a poster of her on my wall growing up. Who knew!? Who knew that girl with Jackie Joyner-Kersee on her wall, who dreamed of running as she did, would ever get to meet her, but she did! It was a moment I never expected and one that I will never forget.
Would I run it again? YES!
Now, the 5K was also one that I will run again! I love St. Louis, and this route was incredible. After 1.5 miles, you are running with a view of the Arch and the old State Capitol. It was amazing! Then you finish at Ballpark Village (also the start). You get your medal with the number of the Hall of Famer, and you get to take a final lap walking around the warning track of Busch Stadium. It’s the ultimate Cardinals fan who is a runner’s dream.
Idaho, Friends, Country Music, Summer, and 5K
Normally, Kayla and I visit an MLB park for our summer vacation. That actually didn’t work out for us this year, and instead, we made a plan to visit our friends we met on our baseball trip to Oakland last summer. When we met Tim and Jetta last summer, it was like we’d been friends for the longest time. We struck up a conversation, spent the day with them in Oakland, watched the A’s game, and then kept in touch. So when the MLB trip didn’t work out, we texted Jetta and asked if they might be up for a visit from the Smith girls.
What a fun trip it was! We really had the best time in Idaho. First of all, the weather was amazing! It was summer weather, but no humidity. What a change! Also, it was beautiful!
Country Music and Chase Wright in Boise
Baseball isn’t the only thing we have in common with Tim and Jetta. We all love country music. They planned on taking us to a concert while we were there. Scotty McCreery was the headliner while Chase Wright, HunterGirl, and Matt Stell opened for him. I was super excited to see Chase Wright because I’ve loved his music since he started releasing songs. After his set, he met fans at his merch booth. I went to meet him and had a really cool short conversation with him. I later ended up on his socials! A video of me singing at his set was on his Facebook Reel and TikTok!
While in Idaho, we went hiking, visited Shoshone Falls, known as the Niagara of the West, visited the Old Idaho State Penitentiary, enjoyed delicious food, had a lot of Dutch Bros, and ran a 5K. Since I was in Idaho, I may as well try to check off another state. It was the Caldwell Classic, and the money went toward the Caldwell Skating Club.
We loved Idaho and can’t wait to go back! It was from Idaho, Kayla and I separated as she headed home, and I headed to my next adventure.
Colorado Springs, Mountains, Olympics, Amazed!
I got to spend a day in Colorado Springs before Stacie arrived. My plan was to visit the US Olympic and Paralympic Museum. There are no words for the experience I had. I have always loved watching the Olympics, but this museum and experience was like no other. It made me proud to be an American. As I walked through the museum and watched the videos, I had goosebumps and tears. I then visited the Olympic Training Center. It was another very cool experience. I recommend that anyone who visits Colorado Springs visit the museum and training center.
Of course, the popular things are the mountains, the rail to Pikes Peak, and the Garden of the Gods. Both of which we made plans to visit. The natural beauty of both was breathtaking. I even got to see mountain goats in the wild while on Pikes Peak.
Oh, and the altitude in Colorado is no joke! The 5K we ran was called the Hometown Heroes 5K. They also had a Half-Marathon and a 10 K. Think of hundreds of people, a narrow park path, no room to pass others, and set your pace. It was tricky to get started, and it wasn’t until after the turnaround at 1.5 miles that I was able to get out of a crowd of people and run. The air was thin, but my pace and overall time weren’t that bad. Would I run this race again? Probably not, but I definitely want a chance to run again in Colorado Springs.
Nebraska 5K and the Beginning of My Solo Running Adventures
Did I plan to run in Nebraska alone? No, Stacie was the one who found the race. However, she ended up having plans that weekend, so I decided to go ahead and run the race anyway. It was in Omaha, and the race was called Head for the Cure 5K. The cause was for brain cancer research, which is important to me. My uncle was diagnosed with glioblastoma in the Spring of 2024. I knew I had to run this race in honor of him.
Now let me tell you something, it was so humid, and it was hard to run this race. I did love the pancakes at the end, though!
The day before the race, I drove up and went to the Omaha Zoo. If you’ve never been, plan to be there for a long time. There is so much to see! I hadn’t been in years, and I’d forgotten how much there actually was to see.
Fat Cow 5K
Yes, you read that right! It was called the Fat Cow 5K, and it was in Little Rock, Arkansas. It was at the St. Joseph Farmstead, and the money went to repairing damages caused by a fire over the summer. This was a cute little place with a vegetable stand, weekly farmer’s market, farm animals, and late summer Arkansas heat!
At packet pick-up, I checked out the small farmer’s market at the farmstead. While there, I met Marine from Marche Farms. She grows the most beautiful flowers and creates the most beautiful bouquets! I also met Monica, who promotes outdoor education. Both of them sent me on an adventure in SOMA (South Main), which is a street in North Little Rock. With shops and restaurants, I had a fun outing before heading back downtown.
This 5K was actually a trail race. It went through paved trail, some on the road, grass trail, and finally, actually a narrow hiking trail. Let me tell you something, I forgot how much I love trail running! I especially love the narrow hiking trail through the woods, kind of trail running. I got scratched up, but that is the hazard of trail running. (You will find out later that I ended up more injured in Kansas at a road race.)
Goat Yoga
After the race, I signed up for goat yoga. I had never done yoga before, and definitely not with goats. I loved it, the yoga that is. The goats during the yoga were fun and all, but I’m telling you, I am hooked on yoga now. I also met a new friend, Bri, who is a fellow influencer, too! We had the best time laughing at the goats and each of us experiencing yoga for the first time.
It really was a fun time in Little Rock! It had been a minute, and I got to take in new places I’d never experienced before.
A Sore Foot, a Slip in the Mud, and the Kansas 5K
So, a week before running in Kansas, I was walking to the gate at a Springfield Cardinals game. While walking, I stepped into a hole and twisted my foot. I later found out that I bruised my Achilles peroneal tendon. I hadn’t been in that much pain in a long time, and I have a high pain tolerance. Miserable was the best way to describe how I felt, and limping was how I moved. I stayed off my foot as much as I could but was determined to run in Kansas. I had signed up over the summer, booked a VRBO, so there was no canceling this trip. My foot was actually doing pretty well, and I was going to take it easy. It was in El Dorado, Kansas. The race was called the Gold Rush 5K. I really liked that it was super small and low-key.
And the Fall…
Race day came, and I was ready. It was humid for mid-September because it had rained the night before. The race starts, and I’m not even a quarter of a mile in, and then I come upon a muddy, mulchy hill. While trying to run/jump/tiptoe over it, however, that didn’t happen. I should’ve walked because I slipped in the mud and face-planted in the mulch. Jumping back up, I kept going. It wasn’t until after the race that I realized I had scraped my knee and had blood dripping down my leg. Of course, it was also my left leg which was the foot that I had twisted. Regardless of the fall and foot, I finished third in my age group!
I was a sight the rest of my weekend in Kansas. My foot was sore, my leg was sore, swollen, and bruised, and I had a hard time moving. Despite that, I drove into Wichita, which was about 15 minutes away, to do some shopping. I spent the rest of the afternoon shopping, then headed back to grab some pizza from a local place. Then I headed home on Sunday. It was a fun weekend away, even though I came back injured.
Drake Milligan and Oklahoma 5K
Have you ever heard of Drake Milligan? Emerging country music artist who knows how to work a crowd. I love his country swing style of music and his energy. The plan I had was to see Drake Milligan in Tulsa on a Thursday night in October and return on Friday. However, why not knock off another state while you’re there? Let’s start with the concert. Incredible! I had the best time. Yes, I went by myself, and yes, I had the best time.
I explored Tulsa, went to the concert, met some new friends, saw the Today Show, and ran a 5K. Oh, and did you know that when I crossed the state line from Missouri into Oklahoma, it was like it went from fall to summer. It was almost 90 degrees when I was there!
Some of your most fun events are the unexpectedly planned ones. I found the Haunted, True-Crimes of Tulsa guided tour. It was a great tour, and I met some of the most fun people! I even hung out with them after the tour was over, before calling it a night to prep for Saturday’s race. So, if in Tulsa, check out Tulsa Tours!
Haunted 5K and the First Race Since my Injuries
The Oklahoma race I found near Tulsa was called the Haunted 5K. It was in a park in a small town near Tulsa called Sapulpa. It was just on the paved trail through the park, so I’m not sure that it was my favorite path to run. I did meet this really cool runner named Skip, and we had a fun time chatting about each other’s running adventures.
My trip to Tulsa reminded me of my trip to Little Rock. I hadn’t been in so long; it was nice to go back and explore again. Connecting with new friends, experiencing new places, and just being out there, adventuring on your own. One cannot begin to describe how fun and freeing it is to travel on your own.
Grand Canyon and Las Vegas in a Weekend
Stacie had already run in Kansas, Arkansas, and Oklahoma, which is why I ran those states alone. But now we were back together, headed to run our Arizona race!
We had a Fall break from work the next-to-last weekend in October. The cheapest flight was a Spirit (and yes, it’s as awful as they say) flight from KC to Vegas. Las Vegas is a four-hour drive to Tusayan, AZ, where the Grand Canyon and our race were located.
Words Cannot Describe
Take a minute to soak that in…our race was at the Grand Canyon. Fun fact: the elevation is higher at the Grand Canyon than in Colorado. Not to get ahead, but yikes, my lungs! So, we flew into Vegas on a very uncomfortable Spirit flight and then rented a car, drove four hours to make it just before dark. After we picked up our packet, we found a steakhouse. I am not sure if I’ve ever mentioned this, but I like eating a medium-cooked steak the night before a race. Anyway, the point in this is, as far as decor and saloon ambiance, the place gets 5/5 stars. When it comes to food, honestly, I’ve had better at a chain. After dinner, we called it a night to get up for the race the next morning.
I was so excited about the weather for the race. It was about 35 degrees. Yes, I love running in cold weather. Now, even though I knew the altitude was higher, I still wasn’t prepared. When I started running in the thin air, my shoulders and middle back started aching something terrible. I had been fighting a respiratory virus, it was a day past a two-day-long migraine, and I’d slept on my neck wrong. Not going to lie, it was hard to get started and hard to keep going. Still, though, running through a national park on a gorgeous morning, I would absolutely run this race again.
After doing some shopping in the Grand Canyon gift shop located in the IMAX, we cleaned up, checked out, and went to the Grand Canyon. Since we had a four-hour drive back, we just decided to walk to the South Rim Trail and check out the view. I sure wish we had so much more time to hike and explore. Words cannot describe the beauty of the Grand Canyon. Pictures don’t even do it justice.
Las Vegas, Lights, and Not Enough Hours
We drove back to Vegas to check into The Flamingo Hotel. What a fun vibe! I loved the place, the color, the hidden speakeasy, and Pinky’s by Vanderpump. Oh my goodness! I loved that place! The food was excellent, and it was absolutely gorgeous.
Then it was time to explore the strip. It was exactly like you would picture it. People everywhere, lights everywhere, all the iconic places. We really didn’t have enough time. Our flight left at 5 am the next day, so we really only had a few hours in Vegas. When I go back to Vegas, I want to eat at so many other places and see so many shows. I was thrilled to stand outside Gordon Ramsay’s Hell’s Kitchen and take a picture. The early flight definitely came early. Stacie had to wake me up because I’d fallen back to sleep. We made it to the airport with no trouble and again had an uncomfortable Spirit flight back.
Honestly, what a great weekend. It was so hard to come back home.
Anaheim, Hollywood, Disneyland, and my Faraway Friend
When Stacie first found this race, three things about it excited me. One, a free slice of pumpkin pie at the end of the race. Two, running by Angel Stadium. Three, knowing that I’d be minutes from one of my closest friends, Diane.
I could never have imagined how much fun I would have and how much I would enjoy this trip.
Hollywood Hike
We arrived on a Saturday morning. After dropping off our stuff and freshening up, we decided that we would take the 3-mile hike up to see the Hollywood sign. When I say “hike up,” I really mean up. It’s a long hill up. Yes, there are flat spots on the way up to the viewing spot, but just remember that you will get to hike that back down afterwards. When you finally make it to the viewing spot, WOW! Take it in. Believe it, you are right there looking at the Hollywood sign. You can turn around and look at LA and see the Pacific Ocean. You will not regret taking the hike, you will not regret the view, so just do it!
Anaheim Turkey Trot
I loved this Turkey Trot, and I would run this race again. It was such a fun race, a challenging course, and I loved running by Angel Stadium. Then, after turning around and running back toward the finish line, you get a look at the Santa Ana mountains. It was beautiful! The weather was perfect, the sun was out, and I had my best time all year. The free pumpkin pie at the end of the race was delicious. It wasn’t quite as good as mom’s, but it was still really good. I even had a second piece. After the race, the baseball fan in me had to walk to Angel Stadium. It did not disappoint. I only wish it had been baseball season! The weather sure felt like the perfect day for a spring game, but I had to remember it was November. The vibe of this race was so much fun. There were delicious street tacos I ate even after the two pieces of pie. Yep, I’m an eater after a race, not before!
A Day at Disneyland
I’m a 90s Disney girl. Those movies with the princesses, the music, the villains, the happy endings, yes, all of it. The summer before my last semester of college, I went to Disney World and experienced it all, every part. In the summer of 2024, Kayla and I went to KC for a Yankees/Royals game, and while we were there the next day, we went to a 100 Years of Disney Exhibit at Union Station. I loved learning the history of Walt Disney and his vision for Disneyland. When we decided to go to Anaheim, we automatically decided we had to go to Disneyland. In my head, I was expecting Disney World in one place, even though I’d learned the history of Disneyland and Walt Disney’s dream. It was not like Disney World in one place; it was completely different, and I’m going to be honest, I loved it so much more.
Since we were there during the week of Thanksgiving, it was all Christmas. If you know anything about me, I love Christmas. The decorations, the music, the joy it brings, all of it. So when you have Disney and Christmas, oh, the happiness and joy! The big Christmas trees, all the lights after dark, all of the decorations, and the joy of Disney. I LOVED Disneyland. Each “land” is unique in its own way and brings its own fun. I would love to go back because, even being there from open to close, I still didn’t see it all and get to all the places I wanted to go.
Every time I experience anything Disney, it brings out that little Disney girl from the ’90s, and this trip to Disneyland did just that, so I soaked it in even more!
The Ocean and a Friend
One of my closest friends lived right where we were for the race. I knew immediately that if it worked for her schedule, I’d see if I could stay an extra day and spend it with her catching up. It had been 7 years since I’d seen her in person. When she first moved away, I went to visit later that summer; however, it had been two states and a baby since I’d seen her. Way too long. We keep in touch, but there is nothing like seeing one of your closest friends in person. My friend picked me up from the hotel, and the first thing we did was get some breakfast and coffee at this cute cafe at San Clemente Beach. We took time to walk the pier, and I put my feet in the ocean. Yes, it was cold, but I did it anyway. I mean, why not!?
Breakfast with an Ocean View
San Clemente Beach
It was so fun to walk the pier at San Clemente Beach!
That evening after dinner, we went to look at the Christmas lights at Dana Point Harbor. While there, walking around, we heard sea lions. Yes, in nature. Like here in southwest MO, you’ll see a whitetail deer running across the road, and there, the sea lions were just on the dock beside the boats that were harbored, calling out to each other. I was in awe. I could have listened to them for a while because it was something I’ve never experienced. Dana Point Harbor was such a fun place to experience!
I was leaving late afternoon the day before Thanksgiving, so my friend said that she would take me to the ocean one more time before I left. The day was so beautiful, and when we got to the ocean, there were so many people out surfing! I hadn’t seen so many surfers in my life, in person, and actually see them surfing. We had lunch at a cute little restaurant that sits by the ocean. Eating fish and chips while watching the surfers the day before Thanksgiving with my friend was something I never thought I’d be experiencing, and it is one I wouldn’t trade.
The extra day went by way too fast, and it was time to fly home before I knew it. I made it back to KC at midnight on Thanksgiving morning. I drove home, slept for a few hours, and headed to Thanksgiving lunch.
What is Next?
2025 was a fun, adventurous year! I ran 10 races in 10 states, met so many people, and had so many great experiences. This quest to run a 5K in all 50 states is bringing out something in me that I am loving. I can’t wait to see what races and places 2026 brings.
Stay true, be you, and have a good one!
-Joelle
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Keep adventuring sister!! It looks good in you 😉!