“Like many others, I took up running with the goal of losing weight. I never met that goal. Instead, my focus shifted, and I achieved so much more! Running for me became more than a tool for losing weight; it became an outlet for releasing stress and enjoying quiet time, it became an opportunity to meet people, and it gave me the confidence I needed to be good at something.
Initially I ran on my own, enjoying loud music and just being with my thoughts. I was a complacent runner and a self-confessed couch-potato, so I decided that entering events would be the best way to keep me motivated. This is when the competitive streak in me came out – not with other people, but with myself. It gave me the urge to do better, to beat yesterday, to push myself.
When we moved to New Plymouth my husband suggested I find a group to run with. I was reluctant at first but once I started running with the New Plymouth Joggers and Walkers I found the NP running community to be extremely welcoming and supportive. This is where I met Nick, owner of Shoe Clinic New Plymouth. Nick and I decided to run our first full marathon together at Hawkes Bay 2019, something I believed I was not capable of doing. But Nick believed in me and gave me the support and encouragement I needed to get through, and together we achieved what I thought was the impossible!
In 2018, during my training, I also suffered a hamstring injury, partially tearing the tendon on my sit-bone which resulted in bursitis. It was a challenging time and I suffered, mentally, physically, and emotionally, but with the help of my physio and support of my running friends, I managed to push through two half marathons and the full marathon.
Our 2nd marathon and next goal was going to be Noosa in May of this year, but in November 2019 I had a PRP injection (platelet rich plasma) and had to take 12 weeks off running. This cemented the fact that I wouldn’t be ready for Noosa, so instead we opted for our second to be Queenstown this November. And now Covid-19 (un)surprisingly has allowed me the time I needed to reset mentally, get fit and train for Queenstown.
I am by no means a great runner, but I am the best that I can be, I am proud of my achievements and how far I have come.”
Aimee @aimeeyee
(New Plymouth)
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Portraits of Runners + their stories
@RunnersNZ
