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Kelley Redbord was about a mile away from the Duke City Marathon finish line on Sunday when she caught up with her husband and fellow runner, Ari Redbord.

As they approached the finish line, Redbord said she wanted to hold her husband鈥檚 hand up in the air. 鈥淎s we crossed,鈥� she said that he told her, 鈥楴o, it鈥檚 your day and you go ahead.鈥� And that鈥檚 why I was 0.2 seconds faster than him.鈥�

Redbord then gave a fist bump and 鈥渢he tears came,鈥� she said.

The Washington, D.C., dermatologist has now completed a marathon in every state after finishing Sunday鈥檚 race in 4 hours, 16 minutes.

鈥淚s this a dream or did I run a marathon in every state?鈥� she asked. 鈥淚鈥檝e been trying to do this for so long that it is hard to even say that I did it. I did it.鈥�

Redbord, 50, said she was happy to complete her quest in sa国际传媒官网网页入口 after not being able to participate in the event a few years ago due to the pandemic.

鈥淲hen the race was canceled in 2020, it felt unfinished,鈥� she said. 鈥淲e trained, we visualized the course, and then suddenly it was gone. Coming back now is about closing that loop 鈥� celebrating the miles, the city, and the community that make this race special. So proud to be finishing this journey in sa国际传媒官网网页入口.鈥�

鈥楽tay persistent and stay focused鈥�

Redbord鈥檚 first marathon was in 1997 when she ran the Marine Corps Marathon in the Washington, D.C, area in about four hours, she said.

At the time, Redbord said she wasn鈥檛 planning to run marathons in all 50 states.

鈥淭hat probably happened six marathons later, whatever,鈥� she said. 鈥淚 knew this wasn鈥檛 going to happen overnight. And, you know, a lot of people say, 鈥業 can鈥檛 do that.鈥� They just automatically say that when they can and if you think positively and you just stay persistent and stay focused, you can get it done.鈥�

Redbord has participated in 56 marathons, including those in New York City and Boston where she said she ran her best time of 3:30.

鈥�(The Boston Marathon) was really exciting because you felt like, you know, you accomplished something by qualifying for (that) marathon,鈥� Redbord said.

She said she runs year-round to get ready for the competitions. This includes daily 3 to 5 mile runs. Adjusting to sa国际传媒官网网页入口鈥檚 elevation, however, was a challenge, she said, 鈥渁s I live and train at sea level.鈥�

鈥�(But) 26 miles is hard, no matter what the altitude is,鈥� she said.

Ari Redbord said he is proud of his wife鈥檚 hard work and achievements.

鈥淚 met Kelley about 30 years ago and she鈥檚 been doing this for about 28 of those years, maybe even longer,鈥� he said. 鈥淎nd it鈥檚 truly like this amazing thing to see this person set their mind to something so long ago and then accomplish it in this really extraordinary way in sa国际传媒官网网页入口 this weekend.鈥�

Ari Redbord said her quest motivated him to follow in her footsteps. He has run in 39 marathons across 38 states including Sunday鈥檚 Duke City Marathon.

鈥淚t鈥檚 funny, I still think of myself as chasing her around all over America, but it鈥檚 really fun to know the journey that she鈥檚 taken,鈥� Ari Redbord said. 鈥淎nd for our relationship, for our marriage, it鈥檚 been this really unique thing. A lot of couples have all kinds of hobbies they do together. This is a pretty unique one.鈥�

The Redbords have two sons, 14 and 11, who have attended some of their marathons.

鈥淭here are not a lot of moms out there that two boys can look at and say, 鈥榃ow, she鈥檚 one of the best athletes that we know in the world,鈥欌�� Ari Redbord said. 鈥淪he鈥檚 also a skin cancer surgeon. So, this incredible combination of this woman who cures cancer and has run a marathon in every state ... she鈥檚 just an incredible role model to them.鈥�

While the couple run marathons together, Kelley Redbord said they are not in competition with one another. Instead, 鈥渨e are each other鈥檚 biggest fans,鈥� she said.

鈥淭his has turned into way more than running,鈥� she said. 鈥淚t is something that we do together every minute of every mile. We have made it part of who we are as a couple and who we are as a family.鈥�

She said she plans to continue running marathons, including those her husband participates in as he attempts to match his wife鈥檚 accomplishment.

鈥淚t is about supporting him for sure,鈥� she said, 鈥渂ut (it is) also a way to continue this adventure.鈥�