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

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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.