Sport
Marathon Woman crosses the finish line
This article is more than 11 years old.
Annette Fredskov of Næstved completes 366 marathons in 365 days
For most of us, running a marathon would be a remarkable achievement. But for 41-year-old Annette Fredskov of Næstved, it's just another day.
On Sunday, Fredskov completed a full year in which she ran a marathon every single day. That's 42.195 kilometres every single day, regardless of weather or exhausted legs. And on the final day, she upped the ante and ran two. With the 84km Fredskov ran yesterday in ten hours and 44 minutes, she notched well over 15,000km as she completed 366 marathons in 365 days. She went through 20 pairs of running shoes during the year.
And if that wasn't impressive enough, she has done it all with multiple sclerosis.
Fredskov, who describes herself on her website as "a normal woman, mother and wife", was diagnosed with MS three years ago. But rather than let that get her down, Fredskov decided to see if she could outrun the disease.
"Three years ago, I was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis and today I have – without any medication – no problems or symptoms of MS. I believe that running marathons has played a large role in the fact that I am healthy today," Fredskov wrote on her website. "Two years ago, I thought the same thing most people think: 'Running a marathon isn’t healthy. A marathon is damaging to the body and it takes a long time to recover.' I have now changed my mind. Marathons are the best things that have happened for my body and soul."
Fredskov's final day of running garnered not only a fair amount of media attention, but the company of dozens of supporters who jogged with Fredskov as she achieved her goal.
"I DID IT," she wrote on Twitter after yesterday's double dose. "It has been a completely indescribable and fantastic day. My dream has become reality. It cannot be described with words."
Fredskov set out on her first marathon on 15 July 2012. The majority of her 366 marathons were completed in Næstved and took Fredskov around five hours.