Snyder, a native of Cherry Creek, is set to attempt the World Marathon Challenge in the coming days. He will attempt to run seven marathons in seven days, one on each continent spanning all across the globe. He will begin with Antarctica and conclude on home soil in Miami, Florida.

Contestants are given 168 hours to complete all seven marathons, totaling 295 kilometers (183.3 miles), beginning at Ultima Basecamp in Antarctica on Jan. 31. From there, runners travel to Cape Town to complete the African portion, then Perth, Australia. The next three races are in Dubai (Asia), Madrid, Spain (Europe), and Fortaleza, Brazil (South America), before concluding in Miami on Feb. 6.

The competition is held annually, beginning in 2015. It is recognized by the Guinness Book of Records and the Book of Alternative Records for record setting purposes. Competitors fly by charter plane to each location around the globe. Fewer than 100 contestants are attempting the challenge this year.

Snyder grew up in Cherry Creek and attended Pine Valley Central School, where he graduated in 2000. An athlete all his life, Snyder went on to play baseball and soccer at Neumann University just outside Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

Casey Snyder, right, will compete in the World Marathon Challenge from Jan. 31 through Feb. 6. Snyder’s inspiration is his son, Brady

Completing a daunting task through running is nothing new to Snyder. It has become a regular part of his life for more than a decade. Snyder competed in an Ironman competition after graduating college and loved the thrill, so he continued running on a regular basis.

Snyder ran his first marathon approximately 15 years ago in Miami, Florida. Over the next dozen years or so, he continued to push himself to run more and more, completing marathons across the nation. Two years ago, in Montana, Snyder completed the final race in his quest to complete a marathon in all 50 of the United States.

“I had never imagined doing all 50 states,” Snyder said.

After his first marathon, he set a goal of completing 10 marathons in a year. Once he achieved that goal, he wanted to complete 30 marathons by the age of 30. Despite the pandemic interrupting his routines, Snyder continued to run regularly and eventually hit all 50 states on the day of his 40th birthday.

“I just always needed a challenge. I always needed something to keep me going,” Snyder said. “I’m not the type that can sit by and do nothing. I just needed another goal to go for.”

The motivation for Snyder is simple. He wants to set a good example for his 8-year-old son, Brady.

“You think about your ‘why’ and it’s all my son,” Snyder said. “He’s my world. Everything revolves around him.”

Snyder recalls how his son watched him prepare to complete a marathon in all 50 states. He envisioned his son there with him for each race and looked forward to seeing him at the finish line each time. Brady will be there at the finish line in Miami at the conclusion of the World Marathon Challenge.

Snyder told the World Marathon Challenge that he hopes to show his son that “anything is possible with hard work, dedication, and the courage to pursue big goals.”

One of the ways Snyder gets that message across to his son is by running every day, no matter what circumstances each day brings. Snyder has completed a two-mile run every day for more than 4,000 consecutive days, dating back to before his son was even born. His streak began on Thanksgiving of 2013.

“Personally, I don’t feel fulfilled unless I’m working towards something,” Snyder said. Of the World Marathon Challenge, he said, “This is the next thing. I did all 50 states, what can I do next? It’s elevated to, ‘What is the next crazy thing I can do?'”

Snyder is excited going into the challenge, but nervous about the opening stage in Antarctica because of the harsh weather conditions. He has experience with back-to-back marathons over the course of a weekend, but never seven straight marathons, let alone on seven different continents. Snyder has upped his regular distances each day far beyond two miles to prepare for the physical toll of the challenge, but he’s also focusing on staying healthy leading up to the challenge to avoid injuries.

“(I have to) avoid any type of injuries, to have a strong base in place,” Snyder said. “A lot of it is going to be mind over matter at that point.”

Snyder now lives in New Jersey, a short drive from Philadelphia. He still has family in western New York and refers to the area as home, even supporting the Buffalo Bills in an area flooded with Philadelphia Eagles fans.

Growing up in western New York, Snyder credits Charlie LaDuca, Mike Mansfield, and Dr. David Root for mentoring him while growing up as one of six children of a single mother.

“The three of them, in different ways through sports, guided me early on in each of their own ways,” Snyder said. “… They were instrumental in setting the trajectory of where my life would go.”

Mansfield guided Snyder through youth basketball, LaDuca coached Snyder through his high school baseball career, and Root assisted Snyder’s training through a plyometric program designed for athletes in western New York.

While in college, Snyder became an entrepreneur. He now runs a consulting business and a solar energy business, Trinity Solar. He is also affiliated with the Find a Way organization, which is heavily involved in charitable efforts. Snyder credits Trinity Solar and Find a Way for making his participation in the World Marathon Challenge a reality.

Through all the many paths he has followed as a runner, Snyder’s career defining moment will see a fitting end, in Miami, the same city where he completed his first marathon. This time, it will be the seventh in a week, and he’ll have his son there waiting for him.