Nashville Man Completes Fourth Run Across America In Honor of Nation's Veterans
“The one thing that can bring us together should be our freedom itself.”
A Nashville man became just the fifth person to run across the country four times, completing his final trip in honor of America’s veterans.
Noah Coughlin began his 3500 mile trip on Memorial Day in Blaine, Washington an hour north of Seattle near the Canada border. He ended the journey 167 days later - on Veterans Day - on the beaches of Miami, Florida.
“I went from bear country to alligator alley,” Coughlin told Southern Living.
Coughlin became inspired to honor the nation’s bravest while on his other cross country runs to raise awareness for the 30 million Americans who suffer from rare diseases. While on those trips, he encountered hundreds of veterans who he calls the “backbone of America.”
“When you’re trying to do something positive for America,” he said, “The one thing that can bring us together should be our freedom itself.”
“It should be our veterans.”
Pushing a jogging stroller full of supplies and holding an American flag gifted to him by the United States Air Force, Coughlin uses Google maps to find his routes from city to city and said he’s always greeted with honking horns and waves from passersby.
“The American flag means a lot to people, if they serve in the military or not.” Coughlin said.
Coughlin faced physical, logistical and emotional challenges along the way, none more profound than the death of his father, which forced him off schedule for a few days.
Completing his mission was never in doubt, however, and Coughlin was able to meet and interview veterans in each of the 13 states he ran through. He documented those encounters on his website run4revival.org.
Besides a well-deserved rest, Coughlin said he’ll get back to his home Nashville where he tends bar at some of the honky tonks and will work on a documentary about his travels, and perhaps a run for office?
“I've always teased that I may run for office, you know, but that won't be anytime soon,” he said with a laugh.
“Basically if there's a way that I can still contribute and kind of push America forward, I would do it.”
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