Southland women step outside comfort zones
February 3rd, 2008, 4:19 pm Hobbies News
The triathlon, scheduled for February 17, is being held for the fourth time and this year it will raise funds for Kew Hospitals oncology department %26mdash; something all four women have had plenty to do with.
Mary Cotter and Chris Edwards are both nurses in the department, so for them, entering the triathlon was an easy decision.
%26quot;I just think its an easy thing to do … its nothing compared to what our patients have to go through,%26quot; Edwards said.
%26quot;Our patients are so strong and for all the things they have to face, this is a walk in the park.%26quot; Meanwhile, Dee Heenan and Rachel Harrington, both who have had breast cancer, have used the departments services regularly and are entering the triathlon to give something back.
%26quot;Were going outside our comfort zones … thats my big goal this year, to get back to where I was,%26quot; Heenan said.
The foursome intend to take advantage of the options available with the triathlon %26mdash; Heenan will complete the full triathlon (a 300m swim, 14km bike and 4.5km run), Cotter and Edwards will take on the duathlon (the 14km bike and 4.5km run), while Harrington is looking to opt for the 4.5km walk.
While all four women acknowledged the event would be a challenge, they were confident of at least one thing: %26quot;Well finish it … It might be tea time, but well be okay,%26quot; Edwards laughed.
Cotter added that their incentive to enter was based on just doing it, and with a goal in sight it would be easier to exercise for the next two weeks at least.
The women were hoping plenty of other Southland women would get in on the action, no matter what their level of fitness, and support the event, particularly those that were already in training for this weekends Community Trust of Southland Surf to City.
Cotter said the oncology department was hoping to put the money raised towards diversional therapy for their clients %26mdash; things like DVDs and music that would make spending time at the unit easier for clients that had to spend long periods of time there.
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