As part of celebrating Route 66’s centennial, Route 66 Motorheads in Springfield, Illinois, will host a centennial cultural gathering on June 6 centered around the journey of endurance runner Tomasz Sobania.
The day begins with the independently organized Route 66 Centennial 5K Footrace at the Illinois State Fairgrounds and continues at Motorheads with an invitation-only MarathonsAcrossAmerica.com cultural program inspired by Sobania’s run across the United States and communities along Route 66.
Sobania gained international attention after running the equivalent of 125 nearly consecutive marathons across America, much of it along Route 66.
His journey continues with his 50/50/50 expedition — 50 marathons in 50 states in 50 days — a feat unfolding in real time and connecting communities across the country.
The program will include a live national check-in with Sobania during his run, placing Springfield within the arc of that journey.
At the center of the gathering will be a live performance by Dagga, whose music has become closely tied to Sobania’s run. Her work captures the rhythm, isolation and resilience of long-distance endurance, giving voice to moments that often unfold in silence.
Joining her will be ultrarunner Dean Karnazes, whose career helped define modern endurance culture. Known for running 50 marathons in 50 states in 50 consecutive days and for his transcontinental run across the United States, Karnazes offers a perspective on the path Sobania is extending.
Also featured is Urszula Musik, who completed a marathon on all seven continents within a single year.
Filmmakers behind the Marathons Across America project will be in attendance, sharing insights from the road and the stories emerging along the way.
“This isn’t about a finish line. It’s about recognizing the kind of effort that brings people together across towns, cultures, and distance. Route 66 has always carried those stories, and this is one more chapter being lived in real time,” said producer Alexander M. Klymko.
The afternoon will include special guests, remarks from civic participants and recognition of the United Way of Central Illinois as a community partner.
This is a credentialed Route 66 centennial cultural gathering. Attendance is limited to registered 5K participants and special invitation guests only. Registered Route 66 Centennial 5K participants will be credentialed for access to the afternoon program at Motorheads. Guests will also have the opportunity to support United Way of Central Illinois as part of the event with a suggested $20 charitable gift.
To follow Sobania’s journey across America, visit MarathonsAcrossAmerica.com.
Other recent Route 66 centennial news:
— SCS Software’s “American Truck Simulator” video game was officially designated a Route 66 Centennial Project. For the first time, players can drive an accurate digital representation of Route 66 from Chicago to Santa Monica. The complete Route 66 experience will be included with the release of the Illinois map expansion, scheduled for this spring.
— Six episodes of the award-winning PBS travel series Samantha Brown’s “Places to Love” that featured Route 66 were officially designated as an official centennial project. Brown described traveling Route 66 as one of the most meaningful experiences of her career. “To take a trip so unique is to feel the beating heart of the United States personally,” she said.
— Route 66 Recharged, a 2,400-mile, 100% electric expedition along America’s historic Mother Road, was officially designated a centennial project. Led by Patrick Anderson and Liv Leigh of The Electric Duo, an electric vehicle YouTube channel, it will document a cross-country journey in an electric vehicle while highlighting the accessibility of Route 66 for modern transportation.
— The Illinois Route 66 Scenic Byway is celebrating the highway’s 100th anniversary with the release of a special commemorative Visitor Guide and Business Directory. The visitor’s guide can be downloaded here.
— The Route 66 Special Project at the final edition of the Gathering of Nations Powwow in Albuquerque was designated a centennial project. The Gathering of Nations was one of the largest Native American cultural events in North America.
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