There are myriad ways to visit every state. When it comes to participating in a race in all 50 the same applies — just ask the Sandy Hook running couple featuring local race legend Brenda McRae and her fiancé and casual yet impressive runner Ben Smith, who have vastly different approaches to running, but are both on a shared path to run a marathon in every state.

On Sunday, August 30, this unique running duo may be seen on the half marathon course at the First Annual Newtown Community Running Event; McRae trying her best to place among the top finishers and Smith there pretty much for the fun of it and to support McRae.

McRae has run marathons in 17 states, and Smith is not far behind. The couple is preparing for the New Orleans Marathon on November 14 as the tandem continues to check off states.

Well, the preparation part is relative. McRae, 42, will do her usual daily training and ramp up the mileage to get ready and Smith, 35, may or may not run a handful of miles before putting it all out there on race day and making his way to the finish line.

"I have gotten into the bad habit of minimal and/or no training for races. I've had a few that I've only done two to three runs before with three to five miles and have still been able to pull it out, but definitely don't recommend. It's a mental game at that point where you just embrace the long morning coming at you on race day," Smith said.

McRae says Smith has a “fly and die” approach. "His joke is that I might finish the race before him — but I spend more time overall, training, so who really wins," McRae said.

McRae, who was the top female and placed second overall in the Rooster Run 10K this summer, puts her best foot forward in serious training regimens and is regularly among the top finishers in races. She has a massive collection of running shoes and race medals. Running is something she embraces, racking up a minimum of 60 miles per week — sometimes recording 100 miles in a seven-day stretch.

"I do really enjoy running itself and love it as a way to see new places and from a different perspective,” said Smith, who has had the opportunity to run across the Golden Gate Bridge and through the streets of Los Angeles. "Having said that, I did fall out of the habit of running regularly [about] five years ago and am still trying to get back into it — outside of races. I do love the satisfaction of finishing the race, but do really just love it as a way to get outside and see new things. Chasing Brenda is also a bonus."

Running a marathon — 26.2 miles — is a challenge for sure, but "pushing myself to train at all is currently the toughest part," Smith said.

McRae and Smith have competed in several marathons, triathlons, and Iron Man events together. As different as their approaches are today, their paths also could not have been be any less the same.

Smith ran cross country in high school, although rowing was his go-to athletic activity. "I rowed through college and grad school before spending a little time coaching at the collegiate level — so rowing was really my primary sport. I got more into running and triathlons after that."

McRae, conversely, did not run until she was in her late 20s and quickly became an avid runner under some unique circumstances. Her first marathon was in 2013, when McRae and her sister, Carolyn Roth, decided to give the New York City race a try. Roth had suffered a stroke and so they decided to run a marathon and raise money for the National Stroke Association. It was a one and done scenario for Roth. McRae, meanwhile, got hooked.

That initial race was supposed to have been held in 2012, but the NYC Marathon was not held that year due to Hurricane Sandy. McRae and Roth persevered, redid the training, and did the race the following year. McRae pulled through, training for what was supposed to be the 2012 race while pregnant with her daughter Blake, then doing the 2013 marathon post C-section, a precursor of things to come with McRae having to overcome all sorts of injuries as her marathon-running career began to unfold.

"I never ever thought I would like running. I never did it as a kid. I wish I had started earlier," McRae said. "I love listening to music and having time to myself. It's when I get my best ideas."

There is seemingly nothing that stops McRae from lacing up her running shoes. This past spring, for example, McRae completed her ninth straight Boston Marathon. She ran it while recovering from a broken back and, having already qualified for the 2027 Boston race, is in line to earn "streaker" status; a tenth consecutive Boston Marathon means streakers no longer have to meet a time cutoff to qualify to compete in future Boston Marathons. McRae has run marathons during recovery from broken ribs, following disc replacement, shortly after a hip fracture, and from various foot and ankle injuries.

Through it all, she has completed more than 100 races, including 5Ks and other shorter races, some part of her build up for marathons. McRae and Smith often run with Sandy Hook's Josh Helmin-Walker. Together, they have done marathons in three states; both Helmin-Walker and Smith have gone to Boston to watch and support McRae.

"Brenda, Ben, and I have run three marathons together, collecting the states of Minnesota, North Carolina, and South Carolina as a trio, on their quest to run marathons in all 50 states. My favorite thing about Ben and Brenda is their egalitarian spirit when it comes to running. They really believe running is for everyone. If you have two feet that leave the ground at the same time, that's running, and they're cheering for you. They cheer as loudly for the person who finishes in two hours as for the person who finishes in six hours," Helmin-Walker said.

"As Brenda often says, the only thing better than running a marathon is cheering at one. I've cheered with her at the New York City marathon a couple times, and she cheers as long and loud as anyone. Brenda often finishes marathons 90 minutes ahead of me, but she's always there with a hug — and sometimes a beer from the finishers' beer tent — ready to celebrate.

"Ben and Brenda have both racked up impressive victories in marathons and Ironmans, and it's remarkable how lightly they wear those accomplishments. They really are running for the love of it, not just for the impressive times or best-in-age-group finishes," he added. "Brenda and Ben embody the fact that the competition at marathons isn't other runners, but ourselves and the finish times we want to improve. Every time I've shaved minutes off my own time, they celebrate the victory as if it were their own — a communal victory."

Helmin-Walker will also check off the state of Louisiana in November. He has run nine marathons in seven states — California, Minnesota, New York, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, and Vermont — but is not striving to run in all 50.

For serious runners, there is running outside of work — Smith oversees Paid Social at L’Oréal for the Professional Products Division and McRae works in advertising. And running around responsibilities for children. Siblings Blake and Myles McRae are both active in sports, with Myles a Unified Sports competitor. McRae and Smith will continue their quest to run in all of the states, each with a different approach, but both with the same end goal and shared enjoyment, and with Helmin-Walker joining them for some of the experience.

"Each race has their own adventure and memories tied to it though, whether we're running with or visiting friends and family during or just exploring somewhere new, which I really enjoy," Smith said. "I do love seeing Brenda absolutely crush her races though — those are always a special highlight, getting a text — while I'm still running, of course — that she placed overall or in her age group and then seeing her at the finish line to celebrate. She puts in so much work and loves running, so seeing her achieve those things is always a highlight."

Sports Editor Andy Hutchison can be reached at andyh@thebee.com.