Mentor tackles New York marathon

It's all go for I\Ymarathon bid Kate Davidson Not even a hurricane can stoP Nelson woman Tanya McMnrtrie from running the New York Marathon on Sunday. Miss McMru1rie,41, was due to run the marathou last Year until Ilurricane Sandy wreaked havoc in New York and the annual race was cancelled for the first time since its beginnings in 1970. Not one to be deterred, Miss McMurtrie will be in New York fbr the second time to finallY give the prestigious 42km event a go. Miss McMurtrie has not alwaYs been a long-dlstance runner - she only started running five Years ago and ran her first marathon aged 38. She believes anyone can do a marathon if they Put their mind to it. "I was looking for some cardio exercise so one day I Put on a Pair' of ninning shoes and ran for 15 m inutes and ttever looked back," she said. "I am not built like a runner so if I can mn a marathon anyone can." After tralning lor five months she is feeling confident and "very excited, but verr', very nervous as n'e]1". She said al] the uen'es would disappear as soon as the gun was fireil on fhe start line then it was up to focuslng her rnind to keep hr:r bod5'going in what was att "80 per cent" mental race. She feels more prepared now than thls tjme iast year as she "had a snippet" ofwhat the race would be like and the support on hand when she was in New York last year. When the marathon was cancelled she and two other Kiwis Comed their mnning gear for a jog through Central Park. Thousands ofother runners had the same idea. "New Yorkers were handing out water [and] we were branded up in our gear. People were yelling ortt 'Go Kiwis'." she said. Miss McMurtri.e hripes to complete the marathon in four hours, but with 47,000 other competitors in the race her ability to set her o\,TI pace cortld be difflcult. She has self-funded both her efforts while also fundraising for the Nelson branch of Big Brothers Rig Sisters, a one-on-one mentoring programme for young people, which she volunteers for. She suppotts the mentoring progxamme as she had "really ""t"\ \- % ****e :#-' Shoes ready: Tanya McMurtrie of Nelson is set to run the New York Marathon on Sunday lantastic role models" grou'ing np and believes it is important tbr today's -voung people to have similar mentors. "I have been matched with mY girl for three or four years and have a gleat relationship with the girl and her mum. I'm verY lr.rck-v," she said. ASB Bank, where Miss McMutrie works as a wealth marlager'. donated $750 last year to Photo: N4ARTIN Dt i?UYTr.R/FAIRFAX N the cause aud has ckrne tire same this year. N'liss N{cNlr.rrlrie has rzrised about $5000 tiver the iast two years - all of which has gone to Big Brothers Big Sisters of Ne1sc,rn.

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Nelson Mail article

Transcript of Mentor tackles New York marathon

Page 1: Mentor tackles New York marathon

It's all go for I\Ymarathon bidKate Davidson

Not even a hurricane can stoPNelson woman Tanya McMnrtriefrom running the New YorkMarathon on Sunday.

Miss McMru1rie,41, was due torun the marathou last Year untilIlurricane Sandy wreaked havocin New York and the annual racewas cancelled for the first timesince its beginnings in 1970.

Not one to be deterred, MissMcMurtrie will be in New Yorkfbr the second time to finallY givethe prestigious 42km event a go.

Miss McMurtrie has not alwaYsbeen a long-dlstance runner - sheonly started running five Yearsago and ran her first marathonaged 38. She believes anyone cando a marathon if they Put theirmind to it.

"I was looking for some cardioexercise so one day I Put on a Pair'of ninning shoes and ran for 15

m inutes and ttever looked back,"she said.

"I am not built like a runner so

if I can mn a marathon anyonecan."

After tralning lor five monthsshe is feeling confident and "veryexcited, but verr', very nervous asn'e]1".

She said al] the uen'es woulddisappear as soon as the gun wasfireil on fhe start line then it wasup to focuslng her rnind to keephr:r bod5'going in what was att "80per cent" mental race.

She feels more prepared nowthan thls tjme iast year as she"had a snippet" ofwhat the racewould be like and the support onhand when she was in New Yorklast year.

When the marathon wascancelled she and two other KiwisComed their mnning gear for ajog through Central Park.Thousands ofother runners hadthe same idea.

"New Yorkers were handing outwater [and] we were branded up inour gear. People were yelling ortt'Go Kiwis'." she said.

Miss McMurtri.e hripes tocomplete the marathon in fourhours, but with 47,000 othercompetitors in the race her abilityto set her o\,TI pace cortld bedifflcult.

She has self-funded both herefforts while also fundraising forthe Nelson branch of Big BrothersRig Sisters, a one-on-onementoring programme for youngpeople, which she volunteers for.

She suppotts the mentoringprogxamme as she had "really

""t"\ \-

%****e:#-'

Shoes ready: Tanya McMurtrie of Nelson is set to run the New York Marathon on Sunday

lantastic role models" grou'ing npand believes it is important tbrtoday's -voung people to havesimilar mentors.

"I have been matched with mYgirl for three or four years and

have a gleat relationship with thegirl and her mum. I'm verYlr.rck-v," she said.

ASB Bank, where MissMcMutrie works as a wealthmarlager'. donated $750 last year to

Photo: N4ARTIN Dt i?UYTr.R/FAIRFAX N

the cause aud has ckrne tire samethis year. N'liss N{cNlr.rrlrie hasrzrised about $5000 tiver the iasttwo years - all of which has goneto Big Brothers Big Sisters ofNe1sc,rn.