North Shore Times (New Zealand)
Chatswood family’s fitness challenge
A Chatswood family is looking forward to getting fit again by taking part in this year’s Ports of Auckland Round the Bays.
Now in its 46th year, the Ports of Auckland Round the Bays involves an 8.4 kilometre run, walk or jog from the city, along the waterfront to St Heliers Bay.
Andrea Allport, alongside husband David, daughter Shania, and Shania’s boyfriend Brody HarperMoulton, were keen to improve their fitness.
‘‘It’s an opportunity to get the kids out and do something together, so we decided, ‘Why not?’’’ David Allport said.
Although the Allports had not reached an exact decision on how they would tackle the 8.4km event, it was likely jogging and walking would be on the cards.
‘‘We’ll probably run-walk,’’ David said.
‘‘I’m going to steady
Brody added.
The Allports said, in the past, they had all been relatively fit and on the move, although none had ever set foot inside a gym.
‘‘Over the last couple of years, we’ve stopped moving quite so much and none of us has ever really been to a gym.
‘‘It will be interesting to see what that brings, whether we become people who start racing to the gym every day,’’ Andrea jog,’’ Allport said.
While Andrea still worked out on the treadmill every day, Shania had been involved in All Star Cheerleaders, David had played tennis and Brody had played lacrosse and soccer back home in the United States.
But injuries, over the years, had set David back physically.
In July 2017, David damaged the rotator cuff in both of his shoulders after a run-in with a tree he had chopped down and, in the 1990s, he had suffered a stable fracture to his spine.
‘‘It will be interesting to see what the gym comes up with there,’’ Andrea said.
Andrea and David were also taking part in Ports of Auckland Round the Bays in memory of their daughter, Abby, who passed away from a rare type of cancer two years ago, which had started in her hand.
‘‘When Abby relapsed, one of the things she said to me was to make sure we did things that she wouldn’t get a chance to do. It’s something Abby would have done,’’ Andrea said.
❚ Ports of Auckland Round the Bays will take place on March 4. Visit roundthebays.co.nz to register.