Nikki Cahen
A Beaver Dam Middle School teacher surpassed her goal of running 50 miles on Sunday.
“I had my 50 miles in at 5:30 p.m.” said Nikki Cahen. “A friend showed up at 6 and said she was ready to run with me, so I did two-and-a-half more miles.”
In total, Cahen ran the 52-and-a-half miles in seven hours.
In addition, she raised over $2,200 to fight multiple sclerosis.
“I love to run, but to run with a purpose made it easier to put my body through that,” Cahen said.
There will be additional money added to the fund from money being collected from BDMS classrooms and some that Cahen’s friends are sending in to her.
“I think it will be closer to $3,000,” Cahen said.
World Run Day was held on Sunday. Cahen started her run at 5 a.m. and took half-hour breaks throughout the day.
She was surprised that one of her students was there at the beginning of her run.
“He rode his bicycle with me during my first five miles,” Cahen said.
At 8 a.m. her first volunteers came and worked in Beaver Dam Middle School serving the bananas that Kwik Trip donated and sports drink and granola that were brought by one of the parents.
It was the people who kept Cahen going throughout the day.
“For the rest of the day after 8 a.m. I was never by myself,” Cahen said. “The people were a great distraction to me.”
Some people walked, and one boy stayed with her the entire time after 8 a.m.
“He ran a couple of times around and biked every other one,” Cahen said.
People would ask her what she was doing, Cahen said. It was a question she was proud to answer.
“I’d tell them I’m running for MS or that I’m running 50 miles,” Cahen said.
In total 32 people joined Cahen on her run and they completed 270 miles together.
Cahen said she is hoping to do a similar run next year.
Half of the money raised will go directly to the Multiple Sclerosis Society and the other half will go to a campaign her friend Ashley Kumlien is doing to run across the country next year. Kumlien’s mother has MS.
Those wanting to still donate can send a check made out to the National MS Society and send it to Nikki Cahen, Beaver Dam Middle School, 108 Fourth St., Beaver Dam, WI 53916.