Karen Dickerson has run marathons all over the world – 27 of them and counting in fact. Past destinations on her travel itinerary have included Greece, China, Ireland and Boston, to name just a few. While she has a goal to run a marathon in every state, she's going global for her next adventure. In March, Karen will travel with Special Olympics Virginia to run the half marathon and the 10,000m at the Special Olympics World Games Abu Dhabi 2019. Training and persistence are the keys to Karen’s success as a runner. She keeps her body in shape by lifting weights and swimming. Several times a week, she laces up her running shoes and joins two local running groups, the DC Road Runners and the Potomac River Runners. When she isn’t running with a group it is a common sight for residents in her neighborhood in Springfield to see her pounding the pavement alone, always focused on beating her own best time.