HONOLULU (KHON2) — Anna Albrecht says she has been running since she competed in track and field in high school. But that is nothing compared to what she did over the weekend of Saturday, Feb. 27, when she attempted for the third time to run around the entire island of Oahu.
The journey is approximately 135 miles — she did it in 31 hours and nine minutes.
“It’s really amazing to see what your body is capable of,” said Albrecht. “Something happens when you go far, your body is so much stronger than you actually think it is.”
Albrecht, a former marine, says some of the training and discipline she learned while in uniform keeps her going now.
“Sometimes you just have to put your head down, keep moving and eventually it’s going to be over. And you’re going to be OK,” Albrecht said. “And I think I’m learning that through Ultras and life in general, sometimes it’s hard.”
Albrecht says running around the island on the same night as Sergio Florian, who accomplished the same feat on Sunday, Feb. 18, was somewhat of a coincidence. She chose that weekend because it was a full moon. She also says the pair talked about the endeavor beforehand.
“Yeah I asked Sergio before I went to make sure that he was cool with me doing it on the same weekend, he was cool with it,” Albrecht said. “Anyone that can do that distance I have amazing respect for because it’s hard.”
Albrecht said, she does have her next challenge in mind but she is not willing to share it just yet. She simply hopes that her recent feat inspires others in the meantime.
“Go try to do the perimeter, or run a marathon or 2 miles or whatever it is,” she said. “I think it’s really cool to see if these things can inspire other people to just move their bodies. That’s what it’s about. We’re just trying to be better, better humans.”
