Mercyhurst grad’s ultimate grocery run
Ryan Smith is grateful his Mercyhurst experience introduced him to many things, including a successful career in cyber threat intelligence, lifelong friends, and the Ambassador program, where he met his wife, Danielle, both of them sporting the famed Ambassador “green jacket.”
However, there’s one more introduction Smith credits to the Hurst — his obsession with running.
Smith began running during his time at Mercyhurst — after all, there’s no better backdrop for an enjoyable run than our beautiful campus and surrounding neighborhoods. His senior year, he ran his first half marathon, the Erie Half Marathon. Once Smith caught the running bug, he’s never been able to shake it, now having completed eight marathons and 34 half marathons in many locations, including Boston, Chicago, and Walt Disney World—where he proposed at the finish line!
Smith’s passion for running led him to a unique dream, when he decided to combine it with another of his loves: Wegmans! Titling his dream “The Ultimate Grocery Run,” Smith plans to run a 5K at every Wegmans in the country, starting and finishing each run at Wegmans and exploring the area around the store.
Thus far, Smith, who lives in western New York, has completed 5Ks at 46 of the 112-plus Wegmans locations. He uses his Instagram page, @wegmansrunner, to document his entertaining journey while his growing following, including Wegmans, cheers him on!
Why Wegmans? Smith ranks Wegmans at the very top, considering it the “Disney World of grocery stores.” Having grown up in a small town in western New York, Smith has always admired Wegmans’ community-oriented nature.
Smith’s endeavor has brought him to new locations he might never have visited, and he has experienced many unique opportunities. For example, his run at the New York City Wegmans during Christmastime took him to many famous stops in the city, and he’s been able to run at both Erie Wegmans locations!
Smith believes it’s important to not only have a professional resume, but also a life resume. His favorite life resume highlights include: husband, dad, marathon junkie, Disney fanatic, and perhaps his quirkiest: Wegmans Runner.