Seven marathons in a year
Swerving to avoid a ute exiting a driveway, Orewa marathon runner Andy Connor took an awkward tumble down an embankment.
High on adrenalin, and irritated at the interruption to his training run, he dusted himself off and finished his route.
Waking up the following morning, the 46-year-old discovered he couldn’t walk.
The diagnosis - torn cartilage and abductor muscles, and a hip ripped from its socket - kept him on and off crutches for the next three months.
It put a damper on Connor’s marathon training - the injury making him feel ‘‘like a caged animal’’ - but after consulting specialists, he threw himself into rehabilitation at Northern Arena, eager to get back into training.
Despite needing future surgery to correct his hip, Connor says he is back to good fitness, and plans to complete seven marathons by next October.
This includes running two in one week in the USA next month.
‘‘Running two in a week is probably classed as stupid, and I know in this instance I might be a bit of an idiot for trying,’’ Connor says.
But having completed five marathons in 2016 for World Vision, Connor says he doesn’t get tired of the feeling of accomplishment.
‘‘When you cross the finish line, it’s like doing something your body almost can’t do, but you’ve done it,’’ he said.
It’s a feeling Connor plans to chase over seven continents, including an ice run in Antarctica.
‘‘[Travelling is] quite costly, but there’s no point waiting until you retire. Life is that short. Anything can happen and if you haven’t tried to make your dreams happen you could leave them too late,’’ he said.
Connor will run the New York marathon in November for his mother, who has been diagnosed with incurable cancer, and the MacMillan Cancer Support charity.
He plans to complete the 2.9km swim across the Auckland Harbour when he returns, just for a change of scenery.
‘‘I haven’t prepared for it, but it’s there to be done and it’s a challenge, and then I can say to myself I’ve done it,’’ he said.
Visit rockgod.co.nz to follow Connor’s marathon-running journey.