148 Finish Lines Later: How Daily Walks Turned into Marathons

Mary Ann Zemla in her 50 States Marathon Club jacket on March 29. (Grace Kelly)

Mary Ann Zemla of Libertyville, 70, has accomplished something extraordinary: crossing the finish line of 148 marathons, completing at least one in every state in the United States. 

Zemla reflected on her life before running, “I wasn’t a runner. I walked” Zemla said, “I didn’t even know what a marathon was.” 

She never considered herself a runner in the beginning; her journey began unexpectedly when her mail carrier repeatedly asked her to run a marathon. 

After declining multiple times, she found out that the marathon was taking place in Alaska, and reconsidered. Zemla made a plan to prepare for a half-marathon first. After finishing with many blisters, she called her mail carrier the very next day, “Let’s go to Alaska.”

In 1999, at 44, Zemla ran and finished her first marathon.  

She trained with the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society’s Team In Training program, where she learned how to run marathons and raised money for cancer research. Her motivation became deeply personal when her coworkers’ young son was diagnosed with leukemia.

“I ran with him in my mind,” Zemla said. This connection fueled her dedication, helping her raise more than double the fundraising goal. “I asked every single person I knew,” Zemla explained. “Every person.” 

What began as a single marathon soon turned into a passion. “I ran three within my very first year,” Zemla said. Running didn’t just reshape her routine, it redefined her sense of self, turning movement into meaning. 

“My life changed drastically,” Zemla shared. “The focus was on exercise, and it became a healthy lifestyle.” 

She discovered strength wasn’t just built in the body, but in the bonds of the community. “That’s what kept me going,” said Zemla. 

Zemla eventually set a goal in completing a marathon in all 50 states, something she had not originally planned. “I thought, I’m not going to do that,” Zemla admitted. 

But after the realization she had already completed races in more than half of the states, she decided to finish what she started. “Hawaii was my 30th state,” Zemla said. “Then I thought, I might as well keep going.” 

Along the way, she ran some of the most iconic races in the country, including the Chicago Marathon, which she has finished more than 20 times. “It’s the best organized race,” Zemla said. “I love the streets, the neighborhoods, the people.” 

Zemla was born and raised in Rogers Park, Chicago. Running the marathon, she explained, felt familiar, like home. 

Even after the 148 marathons, Zemla continues to run everyday–although with a different mindset. “Now I don’t care about my time,” Zemla said. “I just want to get to the finish line.” 

When the miles get tough, she keeps herself going by readjusting her perspective, “I tell myself, ‘I only have six more miles…this is just a weekday run.” 

For Zemla, the finish line never lost its meaning. “When you cross that finish line… it’s absolutely worth it every single time,” Zemla said.

Her journey stands as a testament that beginnings hold endless power — that even the smallest step can unfold into a lifetime of transformation and extraordinary possibilities.