Atlanta woman determined to run marathon on every continent

ATLANTA (FOX 5 Atlanta) - An expedition to the end of the Earth is just one stop for an Atlanta woman trying to run a marathon on every continent.  

It’s an amazing feat, especially since Kristin Bold was born with a heart defect. 

“I was not an athlete as a child. In fact, I had open heart surgery as an infant for a congenital heart defect," Bold remembered. "My childhood cardiologist told me that I couldn't participate in track or cross-country. I always had a note to get out of PE class if I felt winded.”

At age 38, she says she fell in love with running after a 1.6 mile jog.  After getting clearance from her doctor, Bold turned into a competitor.  

As her distance increased, so did her drive. Ten years later, Bold has finished more than 160 races.

Her latest goal? To complete a full marathon on all seven continents. That brought Bold to Antarctica, continent number four. 

“It was more beautiful than I even expected. And extremely hilly. 3,234 feet in elevation gain, thick mud, standing water, rocks, morning ice, and canted trails for 26.2 miles,” Bold recalled. 

Bold hopes to finish the Rio De Janeiro marathon next summer, along with Cape Town, South Africa and the Sydney marathon in Australia in the following years.