“I was practicing in my mind, what it would feel like if I believed myself that I was going to try to do it,” said runner Sheri Kanter.
Seven marathons, on seven continents in seven days? Naperville resident Sheri Kanter didn’t just imagine the challenge; she accepted and chased it across the globe.
“I was pretending for a month or two, then finally I said I can’t stop thinking about it, I just have to do it,” said Kanter.
Giving the Great World Race a go
That’s when she decided to take on the Great World Race, a grueling, yet thrilling, week-long running journey that began in Cape Town, South Africa, this past November.
“After I finished Cape Town, I got a little teary-eyed. My feet were killing me, and I started crying. I thought, “I don’t know how I’m going to do this the next day, and the next day.”
Despite facing six more races, she would push through the pain, conquering marathons in each remaining city, including Wolf’s Fang, Antarctica, Perth, Australia, Abu Dhabi in the United Arab Emirates, Algarve, Portugal, Cartagena, Colombia, and Miami, Florida – all in the course of a week. Even for an experienced runner who has already completed 36 marathons since her first in 2003, Sherry says the pace of the Great World Race was relentless.
“Nothing prepares you until actually doing it. You come into a lot of different surprises and challenges. It’s a challenge sometimes when you get on the plane if you’re going to eat or sleep, because trying to do both is almost hard since time is limited, but you have to try and get all that in, and it’s a learning lesson as you go along,” said Kanter.
Australia’s race stood out as one of the more enjoyable…
“I do love warm weather, the heat, it wasn’t too humid, it was nice and sunny, but that was not my fastest time. That was my second fastest time, but it was my favorite. I feel like I ran and executed that race the best,” said Kanter.
…while Columbia’s race was a whole other story.
“I was hit by one massive wall. They say you hit the wall in the marathon, like at mile 20. It just from the start, felt like one big wall, so it was definitely a tough day, but I still made the best of it,” said Kanter.
Overcoming the odds and a devastating injury
Kanter’s achievement is even more remarkable considering her past. In 2015, she shattered her tibia and tore her PCL in a cycling accident. Doctors were unsure she would ever walk, let alone run again, but she was determined to defy the odds.
“So I started the beginning of January 2024 with one slow mile, you know, on the treadmill at the gym. I just built myself up by baby steps,” said Kanter.
Those baby steps eventually led to a return to racing in the Chicago marathon, marking her first since her injury.
“The goal was just to run it, feel good, and finish it,” said Kanter.
She then raced in the Fargo Marathon in 2025, just before training for the Great World Race.
“I’m still almost at a loss for words because it was truly an experience of a lifetime,” said Kanter.
An inspiration to others
Kanter says anyone can achieve their dreams one step at a time.
“It’s a marathon even if it’s not running. You just have to take your time. You don’t necessarily see the progress every day or every week, but you get there,” said Kanter.
Kanter isn’t slowing down anytime soon. She’s already qualified for and is running in the Boston Marathon. As for another go at the Great World Race, Kanter is not afraid to give it a second chance.
“After doing it, I would like to take on the challenge again at some point,” said Kanter.
