Not bad for a 92-year-old. Ailsa completed the 6.5km distance from Porritt Park to Rawhiti Domain in one hour and 43 minutes.
“The event was very good and very well organised. It was a relief to finish and I was very glad to sit down.
“I am quite proud of myself for having done it. As people say, use it or lose it. I must say thank you to all who supported me.”
Ailsa, a resident at the Archer Retirement Village and Rest Home in Beckenham, said having its staff organise the walk helped push her to complete it.
The ex-Brookhaven resident had persevered with extensive training for six weeks by walking daily.
On the event day, she surpassed her 6km milestone which she had achieved the week before.
“I’m still asking myself why I did it. I will never do it again.
“But I am looking at taking on a 5km Pink Ribbon walk in October. I’m resting for now, so we will see . . . I’ll be a bit older by then,” she said.
Having been a keen walker for many years, Ailsa was once a part of the WEA Trampers and the Cashmere Athletic walking group.
“I started walking when I was one year old . . . but I joined my groups a long time ago so I’ve been actively walking for about 75 years.”
She continues to walk 1.5km four days a week and takes part in the rest home’s activities programme.
A gathering took place at the home last Tuesday to celebrate the achievement of the three walkers and the village team.
