Linda Carrier, 57, took up running as a teenager soon after she was diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes. She first ran a half marathon in 1995 at 33, and has been gradually pushing her physical boundaries ever since.
In a few weeks, Carrier will be competing six laps of a seven-kilometer ice airstrip in Antarctica and immediately board a plane, not for home in Pinehurst, North Carolina, but to Cape Town, South Africa for her next race, followed by Perth, Dubai, Madrid, Fortaleza and finally Miami.
Joined by 40 runners runners from around the world for their World Marathon Challenge, the group will each be completing a total of 183 miles (294.51 kilometer) across the globe.
“I’m one that has always challenged myself,” said Carrier. “It’s not like I go with the flow and run a 5K every once in a while. I just push to see what I can do.”
“I’ve made it 43 years without losing a toe to diabetes, I sure don’t want to lose one in Antarctica.”
Carrier will be leaving North Carolina next weekend for Cape Town, where the challenge group will convene before heading for Antarctica.
“Type 1 diabetes doesn’t mean your life ends. You can do all kinds of things,” she said. “As long as I’m standing up and I can put one foot in front of the other, I’ll keep running.”
Click for Full Article: Seven Days, Seven Marathons: Pinehurst Woman Ready for Global Challenge
Article Credit:
Original Article: Mary Kate Murphy, Staff Writer of ThePilot.com