Cameron Balser
Cameron Balser running on the road Breaking 42
Cameron Balser running photo 2 U.S. perimeter run
Cameron Balser running photo 3 Cart, coast, and weather
Cameron Balser running photo 4 Moovin & Groovin
Cameron Balser running photo 5 The Speed Project

Breaking 42 • The road to the record

The miles behind the attempt.

Before San Francisco to New York, Cameron ran 11,170 miles around America. Explore the journey, race results, films, interviews and coverage that built Breaking 42.

Follow the current attempt

Modern road myth. Real miles.

Cam Balser is an Indiana ultrarunner with a fast racing background and an appetite for strange, beautiful distance. He left Cleveland on October 9, 2023 for a clockwise, self-supported run around the United States, pulling his life behind him and collecting a trail of roadside kindness along the way.

11,170 Mile perimeter run
Jul. 29 2024 completion
25 States by March 2024
16 Pairs of shoes by March
Clockwise perimeter run

11,170 miles around the edge.

A stylized live-trace of Cam's self-supported loop: Cleveland start, coastlines, desert roads, Florida Keys, Santa Monica, then back toward Northeast Ohio.

0 miles 0 days 0 states by March
Clockwise perimeter Oct 2023 - Jul 2024
Cam with cart
Self-supported

Cart life

Food, water purification, GPS gear, clothes, tent, sleeping bag, and road problem-solving.

See the endurance résumé
Speed Project
Detour

The Speed Project

His U.S. route placed him in Santa Monica in time for the solo version of the race.

Watch media

One cart. One country. A few thousand small acts of kindness.

Built for the long haul.

Before running around America, Cameron built years of endurance across backyard ultras, trail hundreds, road hundreds and a 200-mile finish. These are the performances that best explain the athlete behind the record chase.

100 miles 17:26:58

Beast of Burden Winter, 2020

200 miles 60:53:00

Potawatomi Trail Runs, 2021

50K 3:46:22

The Full Mo, 2023

View Cameron’s verified UltraSignup profile ↗
Date Event Time / Distance OA Gender Status
Sep 12, 2026 Prairie On Fire Backyard Ultra Noblesville, IN - - - Upcoming
Jun 5, 2026 MoMoFo 100K & 20 Mile Fun Run - 100K Martinsville, IN 14:42:59 4 4 Finished
Dec 6, 2025 Jackson County Ultras - 100K Brownstown, IN 12:29:30 8 7 Finished
Sep 6, 2025 Prairie On Fire Backyard Ultra Noblesville, IN 112.509 7 7 Finished
Sep 7, 2024 Prairie On Fire Backyard Ultra Noblesville, IN 100.008 7 7 Finished
Sep 9, 2023 Prairie On Fire Backyard Ultra Noblesville, IN 87.507 1 1 Finished
Jun 3, 2023 The Full Mo - 50k Sheridan, IN 3:46:22 2 2 Finished
Oct 1, 2022 Prairie On Fire Backyard Ultra Noblesville, IN 66.672 2 1 Finished
Nov 6, 2021 Pinhoti 100 Sylacauga, AL 19:29:25 4 4 Finished
Jun 5, 2021 Old Dominion - 100 Miler Fort Valley, VA 18:22:32 3 3 Finished
Apr 8, 2021 Potawatomi Trail Runs - 200 Miler Pekin, IL 60:53:00 2 2 Finished
Sep 26, 2020 Midwest Everest - 100 Miler Belmont, MI 28:48:16 1 1 Finished
Feb 8, 2020 Beast of Burden Winter - 100 Miler Lockport, NY 17:26:58 2 2 Finished
Jul 20, 2019 8 Hour Dream Endurance Run Indianapolis, IN 48.2 1 1 Finished
Jul 6, 2019 CMAR Cry Me A River - 100 Miler Chillicothe, IL 29:30:59 2 2 Flagged
Dec 7, 2024 Jackson County Ultras - 100K Brownstown, IN - - - DNS
Apr 4, 2019 Potawatomi Trail Runs - 200 Miler Pekin, IL - - - DNS
Jun 4, 2022 The Full Mo - 50k Sheridan, IN - - - DNF
Jul 10, 2021 Whiterock Ultra - 50 Miler Coon Rapids, IA - - - DNF

Media trail.

The public footprint lives here: video, social, press, activity logs, and race profiles.

Oak Hill High School • Indiana

The first competitive miles

Cameron’s running foundation began at Oak Hill High School, where scholastic competition formed the early chapter of the endurance career that followed.

Cowley College • Arkansas City, Kansas

Running for the Tigers

Cameron continued his competitive running career at Cowley College, adding the collegiate training and racing experience that preceded his later road, marathon and ultrarunning years. Visit Cowley College ↗

Early running • Interview

From school competition to ultras

Cameron traces his running roots to his school years and the personal experiences that eventually led him into backyard ultras, 100-milers and 200-milers. Read the Run Tri Bike interview ↗

Run Tri Bike • April 2024

Moving and Grooving

A detailed road interview covering Cameron’s origins, daily routine, family support, equipment and the meaning behind the perimeter journey. Read the feature ↗

WTHR 13 • January 2024

Inspiring Indiana

The “modern-day Forrest Gump” television feature follows Cameron as he runs around the country. Watch on WTHR ↗

WRTV Indianapolis

Kokomo man’s 11,000-mile run

Local coverage of the scope, route and human story behind Cameron’s United States perimeter effort. Read the story ↗

Villages-News • January 2024

A former teacher meets Cameron in Florida

A roadside reunion and community story from Cameron’s passage through The Villages. Read the story ↗

Mount to Coast • Film

The Journey of Running Around the US

A brand film documenting the perimeter run and the athlete behind the miles. Watch on YouTube ↗

The Speed Project • 2024

The Speed Project

After running roughly 6,500 perimeter miles to reach California, Cameron entered the 280-mile solo event. Watch the film ↗

The Drop Podcast • Episode 286

Running the perimeter of the United States

A long-form conversation about the undertaking, mindset, shoes and life on the road. Watch the episode ↗

Beyond the Finish Line • January 2025

Cam Balser’s ultra journey

Joe Hardin revisits nearly 12,000 miles, the daily average and what Cameron learned from the perimeter. Listen on Spotify ↗

Mental Toughness Podcast • 2025

Endurance, forgiveness and resilience

Dr. Rob Bell speaks with Cameron about the inner work behind extreme endurance. Watch the conversation ↗

Documentary

Chasing 100

A backyard-ultra documentary featuring Cameron Balser and Lazarus Lake after the perimeter journey. Find the documentary ↗

Meshingomesia Track Club

Cameron Balser athlete profile

Perimeter-run history, benchmark performances, The Speed Project, media, equipment and athlete links. Open the profile ↗

Mount to Coast

Moovin’ & Groovin’ R1

The limited-edition shoe inspired by Cameron’s 11,170-mile perimeter run. See the collaboration ↗

Race archive

UltraSignup results

Cameron’s ultrarunning race history and recorded finishes. View race results ↗

Training log

Strava activity profile

Public training, race activity and the miles between major efforts. View Strava ↗

Shop Cameron.

Official Cameron Balser merchandise, current drops and future Trans-America releases live in the Shopify store.

Official Shopify store

Support the miles.

Shop shirts, hats, stickers, limited drops and future Trans-America merchandise.

Visit the shop ↗