FARGO, N.D. — A Fargo woman ran hundreds of miles this year to fulfill a personal goal, reported WDAY.
Erika Edwards has a long list of races under her belt.
“I’ve done fourteen 5Ks, three 10Ks, seven half marathons, a 105-flight stair climb, and a mini-triathlon,” said Edwards.
She made a birthday promise to herself, to run 27 races for her 27th year.
The Fargo Marathon was her finale, finishing in just under four hours.
“I didn’t really know if it was going to happen or not, but here we are, a year later and 27 races later and I actually did it,” said Edwards.
Her feet have taken up her up ski hills in below freezing weather and to Arizona with a humid 85 degree run.
She estimated that she ran close to 890 miles in the past year.
With no schedule to follow, she uses the races themselves as a training mechanism.
“The weekends that I’ve run half marathon are weekends that I’d have to run 13 or 14 miles anyway, so it’s just a fun way to keep me motivated anyway,” said Edwards.
Even though the runner’s high is addictive now, it wasn’t always a passion.
“In high school and college I really wasn’t a runner, I think people would have had to chase me to get me to run,” said Edwards.
Now she says it’s the friends that keep her lacing up, race after race.
“I’ve done them mostly with friends or I’ve met new friends doing them, it’s kind of a social thing, and it keeps me active keeps me busy,” said Edwards.
Anytime she tells someone the races she’s run, she’s usually met with the same response.
“If i had a dollar for every time somebody said ‘Oh that’s crazy,’ I’d be filthy rich, but I just love running,” said Edwards.
She’s taking a break for now with no more races planned, but says she doesn’t have to give up the cake when her birthday rolls around.
Edwards’ job as a physical therapist helped keep her on her toes while also practicing what she preaches.
She says a full marathon next year isn’t out of the picture.
