Jacky Hunt-Broersma is on her way to setting a new world record as an ultrarunner and amputee.
The marathon runner is now 92 days into her goal of running 102 marathons in 102 days, and she is one of the thousands tackling the Boston Marathon today.
yahoo.com
Mayo Clinic reports Hunt-Broersma lost her left leg below the knee to Ewing sarcoma in 2001, a type of cancer that affects the soft tissues surrounding bones or the bones themselves.
Having gone through the costly process of getting a prosthetic designed for running, she began running in 2016, as she explained on her blog.
She wrote, “It isn’t like throwing away a pair of running shoes you don’t like. You invest a lot of money with a blade, so you can’t just decide that you are not running anymore. Luckily, I fell in love with running from the first time I tried on my blade and took a few runs and truly felt like I was flying.”
Hunt-Broersma began her running career in short distances and frequently won 5K races.
The Chicago Sun-Times reports that she worked her way up to a half-marathon in December 2016 and ran her first marathon, the Chicago Marathon, in 2017.
Boston is the only certified marathon in Hunt-Broersma’s schedule today.
In 2021, Alyssa Clark ran 95 marathons in 95 days, setting the record for consecutive marathons.
Hunt Broersma planned to run 100 races in 100 days. Having seen endurance runner Kate Jayden finish 101 consecutive marathons just last week, Hunt-Broersma raised her target to 102.
williamsrecord.com & dailypost.co.uk
A significant following has developed on social media, cheering her on in her journey.
Her fundraising total is more than $16,000 for Amputee Blade Runners, a charity that helps amputee runners get prosthetic legs.
Hunt-Broersma told the Associated Press, “I hoped it would inspire many people to get out of their comfort zone and push a little farther. You’re stronger than you think — and you’re capable of so much more.”