Mums run for heart health
A ribbon of red-shirted mums, sisters, friends and daughters circled Christchurch’s Hagley Park during a weekend fun run for the Heart Foundation.
Frost didn’t deter a record 1000 women in Christchurch and another 400 in Rangiora, making Canterbury the highest participating region in the annual national fundraiser.
Lucia Hartley, of Amberley, wheeled her 83-year-old mother Dawne O’Malley around the 5-kilometre track yesterday, alongside sister Marie-Kyle Stevenson and daughter Christina.
‘‘It feels a lot longer when you’re pushing a wheelchair but it was all good,’’ Hartley said.
‘‘We’ve got five sisters and a cousin, some nieces, some grandchildren, some greatgrandchildren, so we really got the whole family out.’’
Four generations of her family participated for a second year, and took their own meaning from the event – support for a relative recovering from breast cancer.
‘‘When we first did it we didn’t have that experience with breast cancer in our home but we just do it to do something with our mum,’’ Kyle-Stevenson said.
More than 9500 women walked or ran in 23 locations across New Zealand, beating 2016’s 7000-person turnout.
Each location had an Olympian – for Christchurch, Black Sticks member Sophie Cocks – helping lead the warm ups and inspire participants.
Jennian Homes owner Dwayne Predergast, who helped coordinate the Christchurch fun run, said the turnout exceeded expectations, especially at the firstever Rangiora event.
‘‘I was touched by seeing the mothers and daughters talking and taking time to be together.’’
Linda Duffell, of Kaiapoi, said the run was an opportunity to get active with daughters Alana, 3, and Kaitlin, 7. ‘‘As soon as I mentioned it Kaitlin was super keen and then Alana didn’t want to be left out. It was the first time but I think we’ll do it again.’’
Friends Kylie Robinson and Michelle Neesom ran the course together, taking a break when their legs ‘‘felt a bit jelly-like’’.
Robinson said running 5km was a personal goal she was ‘‘proud’’ to have completed.
She planned to spend the rest of her Mother’s Day relaxing with daughters Ella and Chloe after her accomplishment. ‘‘I was lucky to get breakfast in bed and I think it might be a nice bubble bath for me tonight.’’
"I was touched by seeing the mothers and daughters talking and taking time to be together." Jennian Homes owner Dwayne Predergast