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16 months after spinal-cord injury, Monique Koll walks half marathon

Monique Koll walked a half-marathon just 16 months after a spinal-cord injury

On Monday morning, Monique Koll began walking the Rock 'n' Roll New Orleans Half Marathon.

Less than six hours later, the 36-year-old spinal-cord-injury victim crossed the finish line — on her own this time.

Sixteen months ago, Koll was riding her bike when she was hit by an unlicensed driver. She had been training for a triathlon.

Her spine was broken. Doctors weren't sure if she'd ever be able to walk again.

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Four months later, she competed in the 2013 Rock 'n' Roll New Orleans Half Marathon. Her boyfriend, Nick Zaunbrecher, pushed her wheelchair for most of the race, then helped her walk across the finish line.

A photo of the pair crossing the finish line together went viral.

This year, Koll was determined to complete the race on her own. She committed to intense physical therapy, regular Pilates classes, and walked, swam and cross-trained diligently.

And even though she hadn't walked the full 13.1 miles in training — the longest training she'd had was 9 miles with trekking sticks — and was unsure if she could endure the entire race, she decided to persevere.

She did it.

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"I didn't cry this time, which was really good," Koll, smiling, told the Times-Picayune at the finish line. "It was so amazing. I’m thrilled I was able to start early and complete this. I’m so thankful the community came back and supported me along the way."

"It's incredible – she has worked so hard like hours upon hours every week," Zaunbrecher, who ran his first real half marathon on Sunday, said. "She’s just shown me – I don’t want to say ‘never give up’ because there really was never a time where that was even considered – instead it was more just 'no matter what happens to you, keep moving forward and keep finding things that matter to you.'"

Koll plans to enter the same race next year — and run.

"My goal is to be able to run this race next year and win it," she told the Advocate. "And if not that, run it within the time I set for myself."