Meet Jacky Hunt-Broersma, a remarkable individual who's shattered expectations as an amputee ultramarathoner, endurance coach, dedicated mom, and cancer survivor. Recognised as the RRCA Road Runner of the Year, WRAL Athlete of the Year, and featured in Strong Fitness Magazine's Women to Watch in 2021, her journey is nothing short of inspirational.
In 2016, Jacky embarked on her extraordinary running odyssey. Her path to greatness was marked by a profound personal challenge—losing her leg to Ewing Sarcoma. However, she didn't let this setback define her. Instead, she set out to build an impressive portfolio of "firsts" for female amputees in trail and ultra running, even securing several world records. She's on a mission to prove the naysayers wrong and carve a path for other adaptive athletes, especially women, in the world of trail running and ultramarathons.
Among her numerous achievements, Jacky's incredible feat of running 104 marathons in 104 days stands out, raising an astounding $194,000 for Amputee Blade Runners. She's also set a new world record as the first amputee to complete a 100-mile run on a treadmill, doing so in under 24 hours (23 hours and 38 minutes).
Jacky Hunt-Broersma's remarkable journey is a testament to resilience, determination, and the power of the human spirit to overcome obstacles and achieve the extraordinary. She's not only a trailblazer but a beacon of hope and inspiration for adaptive athletes worldwide.
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Show notes
Who is Jacky
Living in sunny Arizona, USA for the past two years
Growing up in South Africa
Moving to the Netherlands in her early 20s
Being very sports orientated and spending a lot of time outdoors
How things have changed in South Africa
Leaving South Africa with two suitcases and living in a new country
Struggling to learn dutch when in the Netherlands
Being diagnosed with cancer when living in Holland
From diagnosis to the amputation of her leg
Hearing the news
Figuring out the next steps and finding out what was going to happen
Saying goodbye to her leg
Getting to a place of acceptance
Wishing she had taken up running sooner
How running helped her to accept her body how it was
Going through denial
Having a pity party and feeling that life was unfair
Wanting to be normal and not wanting any pity
Dealing with anger
Why it’s a process
Becoming more open about her journey and her struggles
Taking up running and why it changed her life
Wanting to encourage more amputees to run
The expensive cost of a running blade ($10,000)
Fighting the system to get funding for running blades
Wanting to make a difference and encourage more amputees to get out and active
Being surprised at how far she could push her body
Wanting to push boundaries and distances in running
Running 104 marathons in 104 days in April 2022
Being inspired by Alyssa Clark running 95 marathons in 95 days (2021)
Wanting to see if she could do it and not knowing how her prosthetic would hold up
The metal side of the challenges
Dealing with chin splits at the start of the journey
Getting through the tough days and taking the time to celebrate the milestones and live in the moment
Having 3 different routes to choose from
The paperwork needed for the Guinness World Record
Being strict about recovery and following a routine
Running 104 marathons and raising funds for Amputee Blade Runners
How to follow along with Jacky on social media
Future running plans for 2024
Running a half marathon a day for Cancer Research (for 250 days)
Planning to run Comrades in South Africa
Final words of advice to inspire to you in your next challenge
Social Media
Website: www.ncrunnerjacky.com
Instagram: @ncrunnerjacky
Twitter: @ncrunnerjacky
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