“I have never been good at sports. I was always very unathletic and challenged, especially any sport involving a ball or catching/throwing. I was so bad and disinterested at PE in school, I must have frustrated my PE teacher no end, something I felt bad enough about that a few years ago I emailed to let them know what they had tried to instil in me had eventually sunk in 30ish years later.
I started running in 2000 when I was 30 after a pretty confronting pre-surgery weigh-in of 93kg and realised that something needed to change if I wanted to be a healthy, active Mum for my then 5 year old daughter. I started to head out to a back road where no one would see me and run one power pole/walk two power poles with the goal of losing weight and being able to run 5km. I also did a couple of short women’s triathlons to really challenge myself and help myself to stick to the plan. Nothing like doing an event in togs to keep you on target…
I kept running on and off and got up 10km but never thought about going further. In 2008 I got to meet Kathrine Switzer at her book launch for Marathon Women. I was completely taken with her story. I guess it planted the seed of wanting to run a marathon, even though at the time it felt like something very unattainable. I can remember thinking ‘I wish I could do that’ and that I’d never be able to.
Some time went by and in 2013 I saw a local half marathon advertised and I thought ‘why not try a half?’. My daughter and I started training thinking we had 12 weeks when we actually only had 10 (my bad on that one…) It was hard at the end but the seed that was planted years before had started to grow – maybe I could do a marathon?!
In 2015 the dream goal was realised and I ran my first marathon at Taupo – the first year the marathon distance was offered at that event. My bib that year said ‘founding member’ and it gave me an idea – maybe I could do that marathon every year consecutively for as long as I could? So far so good, this year I did Taupo marathon number eight!
I’m pretty much slow and steady and I love to run with the trees around me listening to my feet crunch on the dirt and the sound of birds – but I’m happy running almost anywhere. I really enjoy travelling and running, it is amazing how much more of a place you see when you are on your feet, especially places people don’t normally get to go to. Mostly I’m just happy to be out there running, walking or hiking and I think about how happy 30 year old me would be that used to run/walk power poles and dream of being able to run 5km.
It has definitely not been all rainbows and roses. There have been injuries, doubts and very recently I timed out at Kepler but I am lucky that I have a very supportive family who help me achieve things and deal with things that don’t go quite right or when my brain is in overdrive. My husband is always there helping me, as is my daughter and my son-in-law who are quite often training and event buddies too.
Since 2015 I have got to do some awesome events, create some very cool memories and see some awesome places and I have continued to up my original 5km goal and run 50km at Tarawera Ultra and Taupo Ultra. I don’t think it’s all about the distance or the gnarly events though, for me that’s not what makes a good run, walk or hike. The surroundings, company, places, experiences, having a good laugh, just being outside, time to think (or not think) or finding a dog to pat – there are so many things that make it good. It’s not why I started running but that’s what it has evolved into.”
Nikki @nikki.hellyeah
(Hamilton)
Photo taken at Kepler Challenge, Te Anau
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