Proud ultra-runner completes 1,000km virtual race

Local athlete Faye Morse has completed a 1,000km virtual race across Tennessee in 55 days, coming in 786 out of 19,601 runners.

She completed the challenge on Wednesday when she ran 78.45 kilometres – the equivalent of nearly two marathons - in just 8 hours 33 minutes, running in both Gibraltar and Spain.

“I am really proud,” she rightly said.

As she completed the distance and crossed her own personal finish line, her two children, Dylan and Amalia, were waiting with a toilet paper tape she had to run through.

No stranger to marathons - she earned the Guinness World Record of ‘fastest woman to run a marathon dressed as a film character’ when, as Tinker Bell, she ran the London marathon in a time of 3 hours 45 minutes (which is not her fastest time for that distance) - this run was the longest distance she had run continuously.

“I feel fine today,” she told the Chronicle on Thursday.

“My legs don’t feel as bad as after a marathon. It just shows you how racing is what wipes you out.”

Unlike in a marathon, there were no pit stops where she would be provided with water, salt, sugary drinks and other staples used by runners. Instead she had “the odd petrol station”.

She sustained herself with a powder called ‘Tailwind’, almond butter, baby food pouches and chia energy gels.

“I’m so happy that this race made me an ultra-runner. It was hard but I know I won’t stop now until I’ve done [contiuous] 100km, 100 mile races, because I’ve realised our bodies can do whatever we believe we can achieve”, said Mrs Morse.

Mrs Morse is an athlete who continues to strive to do better, do more and take on challenges and despite running 1,000km being an achievement she seeks more.

“I am continuing the race as there is a special pin you get at 1,000 miles (1,609.34km) which I am going to go for, while resisting the temptation to go all the way back to the start”, she said.