INSPO Fitness Journal December 2018

and they applied a bit of friendly pressure
- daring me that if I could run 5km I could
definitely do the half marathon - so I just
decided to have a go!”
The Kerikeri half-marathon marked a
significant milestone for Arna-Lise, and triumph
over her battle with depression.
“Looking back on that angry mum,
spending long nights at home dealing with
premmie babies, I thought I was a monster
and I wasn’t cut out to have children. I now
realise that I was experiencing PTSD, severe
depression and anxiety and I didn’t know.”
Arna-Lise used her Kerikeri half-marathon
to raise awareness of perinatal depression
and anxiety and fundraise for Mothers
Helpers – an organisation that focuses on
identifying depression and anxiety in mothers
early, and providing them with help and
recovery.
Founder of Mothers Helpers Kristina
Paterson says “Arna-Lise Harris had clear
risk-factors for perinatal depression and
anxiety. When we consider that Arna-Lise
had three pre-schoolers before she was
diagnosed, we are talking about a series of
health professionals that have come in and
out of her life without ever screening her or
identifying that anything was wrong.
“Even when diagnosis has occurred, the
treatment has been inadequate and the monitoring
and follow-up non-existent. We are
letting our mothers down, and we drastically
need to change that.”
If there is one thing that Arna-Lise Harris
wants other mums experiencing depression/
anxiety to know, it’s that “you can get your
life back and feel happy again. Being freely
loved and accepted by people when you are
honest about your struggles is one of life’s
very best feelings.”
Arna-Lise is fundraising for the cause
with a give-a-little page: https://givealittle.
co.nz/fundraiser/an-incredible-opportunity
and is also set to feature on an upcoming
national television series with Charity TV to
screen across New Zealand in 2019.
“I’m looking for brands to align with and
promote on this television project, which
involves me undertaking a life-changing
adventure. The footage will be used as part
of the television series which combines adventure,
travel, philanthropy and television.
In this instance all of my endeavours will
directly support Mother’s Helpers.”
For more information about Mothers’
Helpers, and for help and support around
antenatal and postnatal depression,
visit mothershelpers.co.nz
GET ON YER BIKE
Use the summer break to hone your
pedal power, with an eye to the
Grassroots New Zealand Cycle Classic.
While you may not be as competitive as the
elite riders from around the world who will
be participating, it’s an ideal opportunity to
motivate yourself to follow along and ride
some of the stages at your own pace.
The event coincides with Ride New Zealand’s
Festival of Cycling, a week-long festival
encouraging people of all ages and stages of
cycling to get out and ride more regularly.
“Having the Grassroots New Zealand Cycle
Classic and Ride New Zealand’s Festival
of Cycling being held simultaneously will
give the entire community a chance to see
some of the world’s best riders in action and
provide them with opportunities to get out
on their own bikes and discover the Waipā
district one road at a time,” says race director
Jorge Sandoval.
The five-stage elite international men’s
road cycling race is the only Union Cycliste
Internationale (UCI) 2.2 sanctioned race to
be held in New Zealand in 2019 and will be
staged entirely in and around the surrounds
of Waipā from January 23-27, featuring challenging
new race routes to test all riders.
“Grassroots Trust has been supporting
many sports, community and education
organisations since it was established in 2003
and we are very grateful for its support to
help deliver New Zealand’s biggest international
cycle tour,” says Jorge.
Having previously run the New Zealand
Cycle Classic for the past 31 years in Wellington,
Manawatu and Wairarapa, Jorge was
offered a fresh start to stage the 2019 event
in Waipā thanks to generous support of the
Brian Perry Charitable Trust, Waipa District
Council, Three Peaks and Grassroots Trust.
He says it change will help him achieve a
shared goal of growing the race from a UCI
2.2 accredited stage tour to a UCI 2.1 accredited
tour.
“We share the same vision of growing
the tour and cementing its reputation as the
premier road cycling event in the country.
This vision also sees a significant community
event developed to complement
the Cycle Classic and celebrate the Waipa
District,” he says.
Photos by Dave Lintott
Photography
INSPO – FITNESS JOURNAL DECEMBER 2018
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