BECOME A HEART RACER

SPONSOR A HEART RACER

EVENTS

NEWS AND INFO

STORIES

FAQ

HOME | LOGIN | HELP | CONTACT US

Heart Racer Stories

Heart racer back on track

The youngest athlete in this year's Auckland Marathon in showing real character.

After serious broken leg left Georgia Ellis bed-ridden for more than six month, the Kristin student is making a welcome return to sport, competing for the first time in the next month's Auckland Marathon as a Heart Foundation ambassador.

A marathon effort

Forty-year-old Brad Kapura could hardly run aound the block three years ago.

Now the Glen Eden resident is about to tackle the Auckland Marathon.

Brad is helping raise money for the Heart Foundation - the charity behind the big event.

Heart racer puts theory into practice

Muriwai resident Zak Bogdan believes running for half an hour a day will greatly reduce the possibility of heart attack. The 43-years-old, who is competing in the 2009 adidas Auckland Marathon, takes his own advice pesonally because his dad died 20 years ago from a heart attack.

Diane runs with big heart

Committing to months of training will help a novice runner achieve a personal goal and improve the health of Kiwis with heart conditions.

Diane Philippe has spent a couple of years plodding around the streets of Howick but wanted a challenge to boost her motivation.

Stacey's heart of gold

First-time mum Stacey Pinique will be putting her heart into this weekend's Auckland Marathon.

The Mangere Bridge resident will be raising funds for the Heart Foundation. Sunday's event will be her sixth Auckland Marathon and her second as a foundation Heart Racer.

Tenacious teen with heart races to prove the critics wrong

After a serious broken leg left Georgia Ellis bed ridden for more than six months, she is now making a welcome return to the active world of sport, competing - for the first time - in the adidas Auckland Marathon as a Heart Racer.

The adidas Auckland Marathon is just around the corner!

For Aucklander Benjamin Shaw (28) the choice to become a Heart Racer in the adidas Auckland Marathon was simple.

"I'm already training and going to run the marathon anyway, so if this acts as a catalyst for people to give money to a good cause, then why not?!"

Heart Racers for "our heart baby"

For stay home mom Toni Jack, the upcoming Harbour Capital Marathon may well become a family event. While she will be walking the half marathon with a group of friends, her 5-year-old son Alex will be running the 'Kids Magic Mile' this Sunday with husband Rob as Heart Foundation Heart Racers.

Athlete to raise $50,000 for The Heart Foundation

A West Auckland woman who has shed 50kg for Ironman is throwing her weight behind the Heart Foundation in the hope of lowering obesity rates in Maori and Pacific Islanders.

From ciggies to fitness

A typical Kiwi bloke says several inspiring women have been his inspiration to fast-track his way back to good health and raise almost $2500 for the Heart Foundation along the way.

Marathon effort meets fundraising milestone

Nigel Smith's marathon efforts have helped the Heart Foundation top the $200,000 mark in online fundraising designed to help fight New Zealand's biggest killer - cardiovascular disease.

Heidi Van Rooyen - an inspirational story

32 year old Heidi Van Rooyen is competing in her first full marathon this year. Since beginning on a journey of looking after herself, eating right and keeping fit, Heidi has conquered her battle with food losing an astonishing 35kg, and feels better than ever before.

AUCKLAND'S QUEEN OF HEARTS

If you think running a half marathon is hard, try doing it in costume! That's exactly what Nic Miller-Clendon intends to do as she competes in the adidas Auckland Marathon on Sunday 28 October 2007.

Mike Kirby's First Marathon

Mount Victoria resident Mike Kirby raised over $500 as a Heart Racer at the Shoe Clinic Harbour Capital Marathon on Sunday 25 June.

Combining a lifelong ambition to complete a marathon with supporting a cause very important to him, provided Mike with ample motivation in his training and preparation over the months leading up to the big day.

Danielle Cubis - Doing it for my Dad

Danielle is, in her own words, "not a runner," but she will compete as a Heart Racer in the adidas Auckland Marathon in memory of her father, who recently passed away after a sudden heart attack.

Ramas - A Speedy Fundraiser

Wellington resident Seetharaman Ramasubramanian (Ramas as his friends call him) raised over $500 for the Heart Foundation in just a month.

Ramas took part in the 10km Shoe Clinic Harbour Capital Marathon on 25 June. Ramas' involvement as a Heart Racer was linked to the positive lifestyle changes he had made during the previous twelve months. At a routine insurance medical check-up a year ago, his GP told him that he was at risk of heart disease and diabetes due to his excess weight and ethnic background.

Yvonne Haswell - Tauranga Half for Heart Heart Racer

Yvonne Haswell ran her first 21km in the Tauranga Half 4 Heart this year.
"For me it was a logical move," says Yvonne.

"I was doing the run anyway; so I thought, 'Why not raise money for a really good cause at the same time?' I know many people affected by heart disease, including members of my extended family, so it made sense to do what I could to help. It's something that has touched the lives of so many people."

Devonport man races for family history

Devonport resident Ben Hudson fast become the top "Heart Racer" fundraiser in a matter of days after creating his webpage. Ben's friends and family overseas all sponsored his half marathon efforts and he raised over $2,000.

Ben chose to become a Heart Racer at the marathon for several reasons, one of which was because he has felt first hand the affects of heart disease on his own family.

Ben and his wife have been living in New Zealand for a year after leaving the UK two years ago and travelling for a year. During their first three weeks living in Milford with his uncle, his uncle had a heart attack while they were there. Ben watched him arrest in the ambulance and he's sure the paramedics saved his life.

While spending the night at North Shore Hospital with his Uncle, Ben's wife rang to say Ben's father (Uncle's brother) had been taken to hospital in the UK at the same time - also with heart problems. Both men survived with medical care and now are on heart medication.

With this family history marking his stay in New Zealand, Ben felt it appropriate to raise money for the Heart Foundation and help other families going through the same thing.

Mt Eden mum gives it a go in memory of her father

When Robyn Cory-Wright heard that the Heart Foundation was the official charity for the adidas Auckland marathon, she decided to make her first-ever half marathon effort at the event in memory of her Father. The mum of young school-age children, Robyn has always been fit, regularly walking and running, but has never attempted the distance of a half marathon.

One year anniversary of heart scare spurs fundraising efforts for the Heart Foundation

Nov 1, 2004 is a date Berescourt, Hamilton resident Shaun Clements (34) will never forget. He was at work doing the night shift as the signal box controller at Railway Corp and suddenly felt his heart start to race. At first he thought it was indigestion, but as the racing continued he realized something was wrong with his heart.

Online Fundraising Tips

The power of the Internet is amazing! Here are a few easy tips to make the most of this powerful technology... more

What do pages look like?

Click here to find out what a fundraiser's webpage looks like. It's easy and fun to raise funds!