State 47 runners to celebrate new year in Las Cruces

Love of competition and passion for running drive Shane Asbury in his efforts to make the State 47 Las Cruces Marathon bigger and better every year.

Asbury owned the Tucson Marathon four years ago when, while doing some work in Alburquerque, he became aware that Las Cruces lost its Rio Grande Marathon race director. He was intrigued and reached out to Visit Las Cruces and began planning a Boston Marathon qualifying race for Las Cruces.

“We didn't have the marathon the first year, four years ago,” Asbury said. “We had the half, a 5K, and a 10K. I wanted to call it the State 47 because of New Mexico being the 47th state added to the union.”

There was a connection to his marketing strategy in the name as well. Asbury likes to get what are referred to as “50 staters” to compete in his events.

“There are people out there that are marathon maniacs, 50-staters that all they do is just travel the country and try to do a marathon or a half marathon in each state,” he said. “I wanted to have something that people would remember when they're thinking of New Mexico and what event they want to do to check off New Mexico. I thought the name was unique.”

Asbury’s company is called Wanderlust Running, a name that comes from his desire to be the Anthony Bourdain of competitive distance running.

“Anybody that knows me knows I'm a nomad wanderer, and that was my whole vision was Wanderlust Running, to be able to put on cool events where people travel,” Asbury said. “I write about events that I go to. I just ran a 100-miler up in the Himalayas last year. If you go to my website, you'll see I kind of blog on a few events that I've done that are kind of unique. I’m trying to be the Anthony Bourdain of running.”

The State 47 is designed as a destination event for that very reason.

“The theme is about New Mexico, everything I do includes the iconic roadrunner, the charms for the awards, the medal this year has a roadrunner in the middle of it that spins,” Asbury said. “I really try to focus on what runners really like, swag. They like uniqueness. They like destination races, especially marathoners, because they're spending a lot of money.

“Really, the entry fee to the marathon is the least of their expenses, with the training, the travel, hotels, the rental cars, all that is really the cost of it. So I try to make sure that for the value of the entry fee, they get something that represents the state of New Mexico and the city of Las Cruces.”

That first year there were 117 runners, representing 19 states. The next year the number went to 500 with 47 states represented.

Two years ago, the marathon fell on Jan. 6, the date New Mexico became part o the union. That one was extra special for Asbury. He brought in a Mariachi band and did all kinds of “crazy stuff” to make it unique.

“Last year we had 50 states, six countries, and almost 750 people,” Asbury said. “That’s between all the events, not just for the marathon. The half, marathon is our biggest event. I I reduced the 10K to a 4.7-mile celebration run, a themed run where we celebrate the state of New Mexico. I do a license plate medal for that event, so kids run it.”

So far, with registration still open, Asbury is one state short of having all 50 represented once again.

“I'm trying to find somebody from Hawaii.”

Asbury lived in Scottsdale but found himself visiting Ruidoso often. It happened he was trying to grow his business portfolio when the State 47 opportunity came along. He is also the race director for Ironman, which is coming to New Mexico in July.

“It's the first Ironman event to ever come to New Mexico, so that's a big deal,” he said.

Once he got his foothold in the Land of Enchantment, things took off for Asbury and his business.

“I have like 14 events I host here in New Mexico now, so I'm full time here,” Asbury said. I have nothing in Arizona. I'm a full-time resident now of New Mexico. I've got six trail events in the mountains, four in Cloudcroft, two in Ruidoso. I'm 100% New Mexico right now.”

In January it’s all about Las Cruces and the State 47. It’s an out-and-back race that starts at Field of Dreams.

“We start at Field of Dreams and then run on the river path and then we turn around at the end of Snow Road and come back the same route,” he said.

What continues as an opportunity for people to visit Las Cruces has now grown with the local runner community as word got out, and as Asbury became more familiar with this area.

“I didn't know the market that well,” he said. “My first year my whole goal was working with Visit Las Cruces to put heads in beds trying to get people from out of town over here. They were pretty happy with the initial kickoff. I knew the locals would come. It was trying to build from the outside in, and as soon as we added the marathon, word got out.”

This year’s State 47 is Saturday, Jan. 3.