Syracuse, N.Y. — Ultra-runner Noah Coughlan is passing through Central New York as part of a cross-country journey he’s making in honor of America’s upcoming 250th anniversary.
Coughlan, who entered New York state in December, is expected to run into Fayetteville on Friday night and into Syracuse on Saturday, before continuing west toward Rochester and Buffalo.
The journey, titled “Run for America: A Tribute to the American People,” is a 5,500-mile solo run across 20 states, timed to culminate on July 4 in celebration of the nation’s 250th anniversary. He began in October 2025 and expects to finish the trip in about 260 days.
His route across New York state includes Albany, Utica, Syracuse, Rochester and Buffalo.
Couglan has made four other runs across the country. New York marks the 43rd state he has run through since beginning his ultra-running journeys in 2011.
Coughlan said his mission is to honor everyday Americans and veterans, encourage unity and highlight the country’s enduring spirit through storytelling and community engagement. Along the way, he has met with World War II veterans, police officers, elected officials, active-duty military members, students and local residents.
Running alone, Coughlan pushes a jogging stroller loaded with supplies while flying a large American flag. He initially used the flag so drivers could better see him on the road, but he soon realized it had become a symbol of hope and encouragement for the American people. He has continued logging miles daily despite fatigue and harsh winter conditions, including ice, rain and snow, he said.
Noah Coughlan talks to Onedia residents and meets with Mayor Rick Rossi of Oneida on Friday Jan. 9, 2026.Courtesy of Noah Coughlan
Coughlan is no stranger to extreme endurance. He has completed four coast-to-coast runs across the United States in 2011, 2013, 2015 and 2023, as well as a 600-mile run around Ireland in 2020.
In between runs, Coughlan said he lives a simple life. He works as a bartender in Nashville, Tennessee, saving enough money to help fund his running. He doesn’t have many attachments, he said — no wife, children or a mortgage to pay.
He gets help along the way from people who offer donations or a free hotel room, but he doesn’t have any major sponsors.
“I try to keep the focus on the people, not on products” he said. “The running isn’t the essence of the story.”
His running career is closely tied to advocacy. In 2011, at the age of 27, Coughlan completed a 2,500-mile run to raise awareness for Batten disease, a rare and fatal brain disorder that affects children. Two of his childhood friends from church were diagnosed with the disease, motivating him to raise awareness about the disease.
Coughlan plans to complete his run across the country in Oregon around May, then run 1,000 miles across Alaska before concluding the journey in Honolulu, Hawaii, on July 4.
By the time he finishes, he will have run through all 50 states, he said.
Once the run ends, Coughlan said he plans to rest before producing a feature-length documentary highlighting his journey and the people he met along the way.
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Readers can follow Coughlan’s journey on his social media accounts and website.
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Noah Coughlan enters New York during his run across the United States in honor of America’s 250th anniversary.Courtesy of Noah Coughlan