Lenny Maughan is a marathon runner in San Francisco whose cleverly shaped routes have looked like everything from fruits and flowers to famous figures and characters.
Maughan said he started designing unique running routes in March 2015, when he created a route in memory of Leonard Nimoy, the actor who played Spock in the Star Trek franchise.
“That first design proved to me that I could create a shaped route if I planned in advance, and after that, I designed all sorts of routes,” Maughan told INSIDER. “Then, I shared them on smartphone apps that recorded and published my route. I’ve been doing this ever since.”
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Maughan’s runs can span anywhere from 15 miles to more than 40 miles, he told INSIDER. According to his account on Strava, an application he uses to record and publish his routes, Maughan has run 500 miles (and counting) as of July 2019.
He said completing his artistic routes isn’t about the distance or speed. Rather, he enjoys the challenge of each design.
“It’s a fun personal project, and it’s a way for me to get my running in and also practice art,” he said. “Plus, people love seeing [each route], and they are inspired by it, and that makes me happy.”
Keep reading to see some of Maughan’s most lifelike running route designs.
