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Omemee woman walks 160 km over long weekend for heart health research

Click to play video: 'Omemee woman walks 160 km over long weekend for heart health research'
Omemee woman walks 160 km over long weekend for heart health research
WATCH: Annie Smith began a marathon walk in her home gym on Friday. After completing her initial goal of 120 km a day early, she continued walking – May 21, 2019

An Omemee woman is not letting her rare heart disease limit her boundaries.

Annie Smith began a marathon walk in her home gym on Friday. After completing her initial goal of 120 km a day early, she continued walking.

Smith reached the 160 km mark in just four days.

“I personally wanted 100 [miles],” said Smith. “It’s something I wanted for myself.”

The personal trainer and fitness instructor suffers from a rare inflammatory disease called cardiac sarcoidosis.

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She was prescribed prednisone, a drug known to cause weight gain.

As an experiment, Smith began walking six miles every day to lose the weight and test her own abilities.

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“I told myself ‘you’re more than that,'” said Smith. “So I went from a six mile day to 12 to a 15. I only compete with myself, so I told myself I could do 20.”

Smith decided to channel that motivation into a fundraising initiative. The weekend walk raised money for the Test Your Limits charity. The organization founded by Dr. Heather Ross from Toronto General Hospital collects funds to be used towards heart health research.

Smith set a fundraising goal of $5,000.

WATCH: (May 4) Training for a marathon can help rejuvenate your heart

Click to play video: 'Training for a marathon can help rejuvenate your heart'
Training for a marathon can help rejuvenate your heart

 

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