Jennifer Smith: "I just kept thinking, I'm out here with a message and what I'm trying to prove. Not only am I trying to set a record, but I'm trying to teach people that you can push your limits, never give up, and you can do anything you put your mind to. I just want people to put one foot in front of the other and just keep pushing yourself every day!"
Despite nearly losing her leg six years ago in an accident, a 346-pound Iowa woman became the heaviest female in history to complete a full 26.2 mile marathon, as Jennifer Smith from Quad Cities, Iowa dashed to the finish line with a time of 11 hours and 50 minutes, ahead of her goal time of 12 hours.
Smith broke the previous record held by a 288-pound woman set in 2017.
Smith says she first took her running talents to 5K’s (3.1 miles) to become an influential advocate for plus-sized women to get into running, but then asked herself ‘why stop there?’
Long-distance running has forever been a sport synonymous with petite women and lanky men but Smith is changing the narrative, as she now has her sights set on completing a 50K (31 miles).