Camille Herron needed a wheelchair to get around the airport after her last race. But, can you blame her after running 162.9 miles in 24 hours to break the women’s 24-hour world record on the track?

Covering that distance in one shot is impressive, but when you realize she did it averaging 8:40 min/miles, it’s downright amazing.  By the way, it was her first 24-hour race.

Herron, a 36-year-old Oklahoma City native who won last year’s Comrades Marathon in South Africa, threw down the history-making performance during the Desert Solstice Invitational. The annual Phoenix race featured 33 elite runners who toed the start line to see how far they could run on the high school track in 24 hours. Not only did she break the record, but she came in first place overall, beating Jacob Jackson, by more than five miles.

“I’ve gotten to the point where I’ve achieved almost everything that I’ve wanted to achieve as a road ultrarunner,” she told Sports Illustrated. “I’m inspired by Yiannis Kouros. He’s probably the greatest male ultrarunner of all-time and had some amazing feats for 24 hours and beyond. It’s scary going from marathon to 100K to 100 miles and then 24 hours. I was probably the least experienced person running my first full 24-hour event. At the same time, a lot of it is believing in yourself and believing that I have this innate ability that is extraordinary. You don’t know what’s possible until you try. I just went into it with that ‘no fear’ attitude that I was going to do it. I committed to it and I was going after that world record.”

 

 

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These are the moments we live for! 🙌 It’s been a tough yr overcoming injury/health issues to get back running and racing. I thank all my sponsors for sticking with me through thick and thin. From @niketrail.running sending me two pairs of Vaporfly’s and a pair of Pegasus Turbos for the race and @corosglobal for speedy delivering me the new Apex watch, which had 32% battery life left after the race- everything was utilized and much appreciated! – It was an amazing and hard fought 24 hrs on the track at Desert Solstice w/ some super talented athletes. I went to the pain cave the final 5-6 hrs- thanks to a @tacobell run by my friend @gconnelie and @rogueales Dead Guy Ale for bringing me back from the dead! ☠ We did it!!! ✨💃🔝 – ✅ 24 Hr World Best- 162.919 Miles at 8:50 per mi pace – 📷: @howiesternphoto – #WingsforDavid #NikeTrail #NikeRunning #Vaporfly #JustDoIt #AirCamille #Transcend #DesertSolstice #Ultrarunning #24hours @niketrail.running @nikerunning @nathansportsinc @rapidreboot @sword @clifbar @team_hotshot @squirrels_nut_butter @halo @florahealthy @corosglobal @rollrecovery @hyperwear @cainlk @functionphysicaltherapy @mmastalir @aravaiparunning @haypollack @jamilcoury

A post shared by Camille Herron (@runcamille) on Dec 9, 2018 at 5:29pm PST

 

Toward the end of the race, she even fueled up with Taco Bell and beer.

“I was alternating vanilla and raspberry-flavored Clif Shot energy gels every 30 minutes. Between that I was sipping sports drinks and soda—but, yes, I also had a beer late in the race,” she told Outside. “My favorite is Rogue’s Dead Guy Ale, which is appropriate since I became a little more dead as the day went on.”

To build up her stamina, she ran 120 miles per week, with two training sessions every day.

As for another big 24-hour run, Herron says she’s game for the world championships in France next year.

“I’m really looking forward to going to the world championships and having that competitive spirit to push me to get to 170,” she told Sports Illustrated. “Right now, I physically can’t run, but give me a few more weeks and I’ll be back at it.”

After all, those are legs that never quit.