27-Year-Old Completes Her Goal of Running 27 Races in her 27th Year

Throughout the year, Erika traveled around the region and across the country, checking off one race after another

FARGO, N.D. — Everyone has that one day of the year they get to blow out their candles, close their eyes and make a wish.

But one Fargo woman made her 27th birthday wish come true instead of just dreaming.

One year ago, Erika Edwards ran her first half marathon.

“After that I kind of got the runner’s high and a month later then on my 27th birthday I kind of said oh that would be cool if I did 27 races in my 27th year,” said Edwards.

And one year later, she has crossed 27 finish lines, a feeling she says is indescribable.

“Especially when you cross the finish line or a full or a half marathon. It’s almost like oh my gosh is this real life,” said Edwards.

Throughout the year, Erika traveled around the region and across the country, checking off one race after another.

“With each race that I did I was kind of like oh there’s another one and another one. I just kept using them as a means of training for the next one,” said Edwards.

Running mile after mile could get boring to some, but to Erika, her runner’s adrenaline makes her feel alive.

“I’m thinking about different things yet I’m not I’m just listening to music and letting it all go try to keep on smiling,” said Edwards.

She made sure to keep her journey exciting; picking races that each had their own twist.

“The Sandy’s Doughnut Run that was really fun there were doughnuts along the race course and then at the end so that just an extra push to finish that 10k,” said Edwards.

“Jingle bell run where a couple friends and I dressed up as reindeer it was a 5K and I did one that was a hypo thermic half marathon and I didn’t know it at the same but I was running over ski hills and I’m thinking why is this so hard,” said Edwards.

But no matter how difficult a race was, Erika says…

“You never regret a run that you did,” said Edwards.

And all of her hard work was to make it to her 27th race, just a few weeks before June 7th, her birthday.

“Even when I was running into the Fargodome I thought oh my gosh there’s only like .2 miles left. Is this real life? I never thought I’d see this day,” said Edwards.

Erika may not have thought she’d make her birthday wish come true, but a year later, she’s pushing others to follow their dreams as well.

“Know that you can do anything you set your mind to and it doesn’t matter how old you are and it doesn’t matter how fast you finish it’s just the fact that you’re doing it,” said Edwards.

Throughout her 27th year, Erika ran fourteen 5Ks, three 10Ks, seven half marathons, one 105–flight stair climb race, an indoor triathlon and a full marathon, totaling nearly 890 miles.