Ryan Clifford woke up on Oct. 6 in Buffalo and set out to set a new record.
Eight days and 13 hours later, he reached Brooklyn as the fastest runner of the 572-mile race across the entirety of the state.
Clifford said he wanted to finish the same record he attempted to set three years ago. He hurt his shin 80 miles from the finish line and was unable to complete the run in 2022. But Clifford said he had intended to come back and conquer what he calls his “demons.”
But the race didn’t come without its difficulties. Clifford said he went through four different pairs of shoes. He said that on his second day, he took a three-hour break just to mentally refocus on continuing. He also had to run through the rain on several occasions, as well as in the dark.
“One of the hardest things is running for the entire day and then knowing you have to wake up and get going and do the same thing the entire next day,” Clifford said.
Clifford said he “wanted to lie down” after completing the run, saying that his shin once again caused him problems throughout his journey. Clifford said he incorporated walking into his routine over the last three days to manage the pain, yet still managed to finish the race, unlike his attempt three years prior.
Overall, Clifford managed to travel over 70 miles per day en route to a new record.
Clifford traversed the Empire State Trail, which runs for over 750 miles throughout the state, marking the longest multi-use state trail in the country. He began his journey along the Erie Canalway Trail before heading south near Albany on the Hudson Valley Greenway Trail.
Clifford said he ran the length of Long Island, finishing at the Brooklyn Bridge, marking his return to that same finish line a full-circle moment.
“It was definitely a sense of relief not having to keep running,” he said. “It was good to stop and really reflect on all the work that was put in and what I had set forth to do and be able to accomplish.”
Clifford said leading up to the race, he would ramp up his running, just like a marathon runner would. The difference is: Clifford would spend over 27 hours and run nearly 200 miles each week to prepare.
He said a lot goes into the journey that people don’t realize as well.
Cody Oher, Clifford’s crew chief, drove alongside the trail and took care of the runner along the way. Clifford said Oher was responsible for “keeping him in check,” as well as coordinating the route, having the right amount of food and liquids each day and more.
Clifford said he slept with Oher in the camper van for the first five nights. He said he was fortunate enough that his grandmother let him stay overnight when he made it to Poughkeepsie as well.
Clifford said his sleep schedule varied, but he tried to get at least six hours of sleep each night to complement his 12.5 to 16 hours of running each day.
John Clifford, Ryan’s father, accompanied him for the final three days of his journey, walking and biking alongside his son.
“I had no doubt that he was going to accomplish it,” John Clifford said.
Cheryl Clifford, Ryan’s mother, also said she was proud of her son.
Clifford, a Seaford native, said he wasn’t a fan of sports with balls growing up.
“I was very good at running in soccer, but I wouldn’t actually kick the ball,” he said.
Clifford eventually joined his local PAL track and field team, finding that to be more his style. As a middle schooler, he was called up to participate in MacArthur High School’s track and field team, leading to him being recruited to run in college as well.
Clifford spent four years at Mansfield University in Pennsylvania, studying criminal justice and competing on the school’s cross-country team. He finished fourth in the 10K at the NCAA Division II Atlantic Region Cross Country Championships and was named team MVP during his senior year.
He then attended Minot State University in North Dakota, where he graduated with two master’s degrees in sports management and business management in 2021. Clifford served as a graduate assistant for the school’s cross country and track and field teams.
Clifford and Oher created their own escape room business, opening RYCO’s Escape Room and Lounge in Westbury.
Clifford was honored by the county on Thursday, Oct. 16, for his accomplishments, with Nassau County Executive Bruce Blakeman declaring it “Ryan Clifford Day.”
“We have a lot of people who are very accomplished who are Nassau County residents, and we like to make sure everyone knows of their accomplishments,” he said. “We had to honor this guy.”
Even after his accomplishment, Clifford said he makes sure to run at least one mile every day, something the 28-year-old has done every day for over nine years.
