Dunedin women Dot Mowat and Kate Morland celebrate after
completing the Great Wall Marathon, in China.
Wanting to run her first marathon "somewhere off the
wall", Dot Mowat decided to run atop one instead.
Last year the Dunedin grandmother decided she would mark her
60th birthday by competing in the Great Wall Marathon on May
16.
Ten years ago it was a different story.
She tipped the scales at more than 100kg and was smoking a
pack and a-half of cigarettes a day. Her 60th birthday had
seemed a lifetime away, she said.
Encouraged to do something about her health, Mrs Mowat took
up running 18 months ago under the guidance of dietitian and
nutritionist Kate Morland (26).
After completing a half-marathon around Dunedin in April last
year, she was encouraged by her husband Max to go to London
or New York and run her first marathon.
"But, I thought, everyone does that. I want to do something
off the wall."
Discovering a website for the Chinese marathon, Mrs Mowat
decided she would run the 42.2km event, which includes
climbing up and down 5194 steps of the Great Wall, with Mrs
Morland.
Mrs Mowat said after reviewing the course she prepared a text
for her family, explaining she would not be able to complete
the marathon.
"It just looked too daunting."
But after some soul searching she decided to take her place
with the other 1500 runners, which included 400 marathon and
600 half-marathon participants.
The first nine kilometres of the marathon ran up and down
thousands of steep steps of the Great Wall of China, and the
rest of the course included running through villages and rice
fields where people applauded and handed out flowers.
"I burst into tears as soon as I finished. I felt great but
every emotional."
Finishing in a time of 8hr 5min, Mrs Mowat was greeted at the
finishing line by Mrs Morland, who completed her marathon in
4hr 48min, the 11th woman home.
"I just sat at the finishing line with a beer and a camera
waiting for her to finish," Mrs Morland said.
"I was very proud of her achievement."
Mrs Mowat said she still plans to run but is not sure she
would run another marathon.
"I have run one, so I can say I am a marathoner."
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