(Fairbanks, Ak) A Fairbanks woman ran 68 miles to celebrate her 68th birthday. Accomplished runner Jane Lanford spent 3 days on the Taylor Highway last week covering the distance.
“Roughly 23 miles a day.”
Lanford camped along the way with her husband, who drove while she ran, providing food and water. She says there weren’t any mosquitoes, because it was so hot.
“It was in the upper 70s and that’s just pretty hot to be out there. There’s not much shade. Either the trees are too short, or the sun’s directly overhead.”
It was also hilly, including American Summit, a challenge Lanford says was made up for by the view from the top.
“You can look down on how far you came up, and it’s really amazing.”
From American Summit it was over 16 miles downhill to Eagle and the Yukon River
“I said I have to touch the Yukon River when I finish, and it was perfect because when I hit the boat launch it was at 68 point one miles.”
It’s the 3rd year in a row that Lanford has done long runs on Alaska roads to celebrate her birthday. Her first run: 135 miles on the Denali Highway, and this year’s 68 miler on the Taylor, were fund raisers for the international aid non-profit Shelter Box USA https://givebutter.com/seejanerun.
Lanford has also run marathons all over Alaska, as well as in every other US state, most in 4 hours or less. She attributes her running longevity to naturally good body mechanics.
“Been running for 43 years now with not much time off for injury whatsoever.”
Lanford says she has some arthritis in her knees and she’s walking more hills than she used to, but that hasn’t diminished her running aspirations, which include completing a marathon or half marathon in every Canadian province. One of the few remaining is Manitoba, where she’s signed up to run a full marathon next week. ###