geoff: Finally tonight, our
weekend spotlight with amputee
marathon runner jacky
hunt-broersma.
I spoke to her about how she's
breaking barriers and
challenging misconceptions about
athletes with disabilities.
The south African born runner,
who lost her leg to cancer,
recently ran her way into the
record books, completing a
staggering 104 marathons in as
many days.
What drove you to set a new
record?
Jacky: I thought this would be a
great way to show everyone what
to get out of your comfort
Zones, and you can do hard
things.
Geoff: Starting mid-january, the
46-year-old mother of two ran a
26.2 miles each day.
Sometimes in official marathons,
but usually on dirt trails in
Phoenix, where she now lives,
and even on her own treadmill.
How did you do it?
People who run marathons might
run one marathon a year.
To run 104 consecutive marathons
is unthinkable for a lot of
people.
Jacky: When I started, to be
honest, I wasn't sure,
especially because I run with a
prosthetic, I wasn't sure I
would make it even to 30.
I thought this would be
interesting to see, how does my
body and leg hold up.
There were so many factors to
think about.
When I hit 104, the first thing
I thought to myself is, how did
I do that?
I can't believe I did it.
Geoff: In 2002, she was
diagnosed with a rare type of
bone cancer.
Within weeks, doctors amputated
her leg to save her life.
She was only 26 years old.
What factors go into running as
an amputee?
Jacky: There are so many -- your
body is working at least 25%
harder than if you had your
regular legs.
Then also, you have this
prosthetic strapped to your
stump, as I collect, and there
is so much -- as I call it, and
there is so much friction.
There is a bunch of rubbing
going on and to be honest, it
hurts.
Everything is working harder to
make sure you are running in
sync.
Geoff: Did you ever think about
quitting?
Jacky: I did.
I got to marathon 50 and I
thought, 50 is a good distance,
I think I am done now.
It was the weirdest thing, I was
feeling physically like I was
fine, but my mind was trying to
convince me -- 50 is fine my it
is a good distance.
My kids have always been -- they
check on me every day.
They are like, what number on
you on today?
When they get back from school,
are you done, have you finished?
I had that in my head and I
thought, I cannot quit.
They knew I was going for 100,
so I kept moving.
Geoff: People might think with a
running streak like yours,
you've been running your entire
life, but as I understand it,
you did not pick it up until you
had your leg amputated.
Jacky: That is correct.
I was the kind of person, I
thought runners were crazy.
I thought, why would you do
that?
It is weird.
When you lose something like a
limb, you are kind of put in a
box.
Everyone thinks, no you are an
amputee, you are disabled.
That frustrated me.
There are some may think you get
told you can't do, and running
was one of those things.
It was more of a stubbornness
inside me that I was like, you
know what, I want to try it and
see what happens.
That's how I got into running.
I've been running for six years
now and it has been phenomenal.
Geoff: Long distance running can
be as much of a mental challenge
as a test of physical fitness.
How do you build up the mental
toughness to do what you have
done?
Jacky: What I often do when I am
struggling, I tell myself, just
get to the next mile.
Just get your mile.
When you get there, you kind of
celebrate that and you are like,
I've done a mile, that is
fantastic.
Then you get to the next.
You trick your mind a little
bit.
Eventually when you are done,
you are like I've actually done
that, I can do hard things.
Geoff: You said before you
started running, you thought
marathon runners were crazy.
What do you say to people who
might say your story is
inspiring but running 104
marathons in a row is a little
excessive and they might wonder
are you a little crazy to do it?
Jacky: I have been told I'm
crazy.
I probably wouldn't recommend
104 marathons and 104 days
because it is a little extreme.
What I would say is, it is good
to push your limits.
You will surprise yourself.
Going into this, I thought in my
actually going to be able to do
this?
You put yourself out there and
take risks and you are like,
what happens if I fail?
I just feel like, you are
capable of so much more, you
just need to try.
Geoff: You had a lot of time to
yourself, running I guess
thousands of miles by now.
How has this long distance
running changed you?
What have you learned about
yourself?
Jacky: That I can be really
tough.
It has definitely improved my
mental strength.
Now I know I can do anything.
I just need to try.
Geoff: Thank you so much for
your time.
Jacky: Thank you.
Geoff: And next up for jacky?
The moab, a grueling 240-mile