Most people wouldn't attempt one marathon through California's brutal terrain. Seth Wilmoth ran thirteen of them back-to-back.

Project Gold Rush | 13x13 was exactly what it sounds like: 13 marathon distance runs across 13 consecutive days, covering more than 340 miles of desert heat, mountain climbs, coastal roads, and open valleys.

Not a race. Not a relay. Just one man, moving forward day after day through some of the most punishing landscapes in the US West.

What separates an attempt like this from a footnote is what happens when the body starts to revolt, and it always does. By day three, the question is no longer whether you'll feel pain. It's whether your gear will hold up as long as your will does.

That's where Skechers came in. As the exclusive footwear and apparel sponsor for Project Gold Rush, Skechers equipped Wilmoth with their AERO Running Collection, including the AERO Burst and AERO Razor. Both were built to absorb the kind of punishment that accumulates not over miles, but over days.

Wilmoth’s mission was to raise awareness and funds for the California State Parks Foundation, helping preserve the natural spaces that shaped every mile of the challenge.

Here's how Wilmoth pulled it off, and what it took to go the distance.

Project Gold Rush was never going to be a straightforward running event, and Wilmoth never intended it to be.

Over 13 consecutive days, he crossed all 13 of California's Level III ecoregions, moving through dramatic shifts in elevation, terrain, and climate with no rest days built into the schedule.

The route didn't allow for conditions to stabilize. One morning brought coastal winds hammering in Big Sur. The next put him deep into the rugged backcountry of Yosemite. Desert heat gave way to rain, then hail, then snow, sometimes within the same stretch of road.

Through all of it, Wilmoth kept moving, relying on pieces of Skechers Performance footwear and apparel to hold up across surfaces and conditions that no single shoe was designed to handle alone.

The journey ended on May 2 in Los Angeles, and the finish line drew more than just spectators. Runners, community members, and supporters came out to share the final miles with him.

Attendees got to see just how the footwear held up. Skechers hosted an activation at the closing event, where attendees got hands-on time with the AERO running lineup and heard the story behind the challenge firsthand.

But the moment that stayed with people wasn't the finish. It was what happened at the very start. On the opening day of Project Gold Rush, one participant also completed his first-ever half marathon. Someone who had never gone that distance before chose this as the day to try, and set Wilmoth up for his journey ahead.

That's the kind of thing a challenge like this tends to unlock, not just miles, but moments of community that wouldn't have happened any other way.

Extreme endurance events have a way of exposing weaknesses fast, and running shoes are rarely spared.

Wilmoth started Project Gold Rush in the Skechers AERO Razor, a lightweight and responsive shoe he gravitated toward for the faster, fresher efforts at the beginning of the challenge.

As the consecutive marathons stacked up and fatigue set in, he made the call to transition into the AERO Burst, bringing in additional cushioning and support for the miles still ahead. The difference, he said, was immediate.

The AERO Burst absorbed impact on joints that had already taken a beating across hundreds of miles, while holding its stability as the terrain kept changing beneath him.

That kind of consistency is hard to manufacture in a lab. It has to be earned on the road.

What made the result even more striking was this: across 340 miles, rotating through multiple pairs of sneakers, Wilmoth reported just one blister. For context, most runners pick up more than that in a single marathon.

The shoes also handled conditions they were never specifically built for.

Neither AERO model is a trail shoe, but both performed reliably across the technical terrain of Yosemite and other rugged stretches of the route, delivering traction and cushioning where the ground offered neither.

His apparel told a similar story. Wilmoth leaned on pieces like the GO DRI Circuit Tank and GO RUN Vapor Tee throughout the challenge, praising their breathability and comfort across widely shifting weather.

When mountain cold, rain, or high-altitude conditions moved in, his lightweight outer layers handled the protection without adding bulk that would slow him down.

Over 13 days and 13 very different environments, the gear didn't just hold up. It adapted.

Reflecting on Project Gold Rush, Wilmoth repeatedly returned to the importance of support, both from his crew and from Skechers as a brand partner.

“Having the right gear meant everything,” he explained.

“None of this is possible without equipment you can trust and stand behind. But just as important is having a partner who believes in the mission itself, not just the athlete or the outcome.”

That sense of shared purpose became a defining part of the collaboration.

Skechers outfitted Wilmoth and his entire crew with footwear and apparel designed to withstand the physical and environmental challenges of the project.

When discussing the AERO running shoes specifically, Wilmoth highlighted how crucial the transition from the lighter AERO Razor to the more cushioned AERO Burst became as the challenge progressed.

“I absolutely loved the AERO Burst,” he said. “They kept me stable, moving forward, and my joints feeling good.”

He also praised the overall durability and comfort of the shoes under conditions that pushed both athlete and equipment to the limit.

Looking back, however, some of the most memorable moments had little to do with finishing times or mileage totals.

Instead, Wilmoth spoke most passionately about the people he met along the way and the community formed around the challenge.

“There’s the power of connection through movement,” he shared. “When people come together for a run, an event, or a shared challenge, something special happens.”

That spirit of connection extended to the larger purpose behind Project Gold Rush: raising awareness for California’s natural enviornment and encouraging more people to experience the outdoors firsthand.