Norma Bastidas has gone the distance and beyond. This year, the 42-year-old Calgary mother of two became the second person in history to run seven ultra marathons on all seven continents in seven months.
"It was as simple as really visualizing it. It's amazing what we don't give ourselves the permission to do just because we can't fathom that it's possible," Ms. Bastidas says.
Her goal was to raise funds to fight cone-rod dystrophy, a degenerative eye condition that affects her elder child, and for which there is currently no cure.
From running 217 km non-stop in Brazil to 100 km in Antarctica, Ms. Bastidas covered a total of 1,272 km. Her 777 Run for Sight raised more than $140,000 in support of Operation Eyesight Universal, CNIB and The Foundation Fighting Blindness.
Next, she plans to summit the highest peak on every continent, including Everest. Pushing past the pain isn't easy, she admits. "Laughing helps, that's for sure."
Dave McGinn