We are all wired differently, no doubt about that. So when I tell you that I am in the process of running a route that connects all 234 incorporated towns in New Hampshire, covering over 1,800 miles, you may find that a bit out there, but curious to learn more.

My wife Nancy and I love touring New Hampshire. We raised our family in Rockingham County and then in preparation for retirement settled here in the Monadnock region in Dublin. In the early fall of 2021, we were on a drive to Walpole via back roads and surprised to be able to navigate without encountering a single traffic light. Along the way, we noticed signs for towns we’d never visited, or heard of, and took some detours.

Around the same time, I was recovering from knee surgery to repair a torn MCL that had kept me from running for a couple of years. As we were driving past town markers I wondered aloud, “How many towns are there in New Hampshire and would it be possible to run from town hall to town hall connecting all of them?”

The seed was planted. I started researching town hall addresses (I love a good spreadsheet), and with the help of Google Maps and mapmyrun.com worked on plotting routes to see if it was even viable. The idea of doing something no one had ever done, or let alone thought of, was very appealing, and Nancy was on board to see all of New Hampshire!

The journey began on Nov. 14, 2021, with a run from Dublin Town Hall to Jaffrey Town Hall, and to date I have run over 500 miles across three counties connecting 68 towns. Each run starts on the steps of the town hall where the last one finished. I try to pick out routes where we see the back roads of New Hampshire, and Nancy provides support for my running along the way. After each run, we scout the next couple proposed routes to make sure they are viable, so the course is ever-evolving based on what we see. 

We usually head out, with our dog Chef, for a town hall run two or three times a month all year, so with 166 towns still to go we’ll be at this for another five years. The very last run will be from Peterborough to Dublin, and if my health cooperates, I’m targeting to run that one before I turn 70 in 2029.

If you are interested in following along, I have an Instagram account (runnh234) where I chronicle each run as well as a website, runnh234.us, where I update status and write an occasional blog.  

We love New Hampshire and look forward to the road ahead - one step at a time!