The Extra Mile - The Official Charity Miles Podcast

In 2014, Andrea was in the prime of her life. She was 33, married and planning to start a family. She had a rewarding career. And she was having fun participating in triathlons and other endurance events, including a marathon and Half Ironman. Then she was diagnosed with ALS and soon walking with a cane. Only 20% of people with ALS live more than five years past their diagnosis. Yet, 8 years after her diagnosis, Andrea is not just living.  She just completed 50 marathons, in all 50 states! Andrea knows she's one of the lucky ones. "Fortunately," she says, "I am able to eat... and breathe... and speak." This may be the most heart-stopping thing anyone has ever said to me in an interview. (Or otherwise.) I cannot even begin to imagine what it would be like to not take eating, breathing and speaking for granted. I also cannot imagine the kind of courage, imagination and resilience it would take to be diagnosed with ALS-- and then set out to conquer fifty marathons. In this interview you'll hear Andrea