A runner attempting one of the rarest feats in endurance athletics passed through Seneca Falls on Monday as part of a 5,500-mile journey across the United States.
Noah Coughlan, 41, of California, ran through the former village along Cayuga Street on Jan. 12, accompanied by a procession of first responder vehicles. FingerLakes1.com captured video of Coughlan during the run as he continued through the Finger Lakes region.
Coughlan is in the midst of his fifth cross-country run, known as Run For America, a solo trek spanning 20 states over roughly 260 days. The run began in October 2025 and is scheduled to conclude on July 4, 2026 — coinciding with the nation’s 250th anniversary.
If completed, the effort would make Coughlan only the third person ever to run through all 50 U.S. states. He entered New York late last month with 42 states already completed and eight remaining.
Beyond the mileage, Coughlan says the mission is focused on connection and storytelling. Along the route, he stops in both large cities and small towns to ask residents what America and the American flag mean to them, while also seeking opportunities to meet and honor remaining World War II veterans.
The run’s final stages include routes across Alaska and Hawaii, with Coughlan expected to finish in Honolulu on Independence Day.
Coughlan has logged more than 14,000 miles across his previous runs and has completed hundreds of media interviews nationwide. His current run is being carried out under the American flag provided by the U.S. Air Force, which was flown during an aeromedical evacuation mission in October 2025 in honor of the effort.
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