Sue Wards
14 December 2020, 5:00 PM
Local athlete Tanya Louise has ascended the equivalent of Mt Everest - and then some - after summiting Roys Peak as many times as she could within 24 hours on Saturday (December 12).
Tanya called her epic effort the ‘Peak of Possibility’, using it to raise funds for Shine, a domestic violence service provider which played a part in her own personal history.
Tanya achieved eight full laps of Roy’s Peak, the approximate equivalent of 120km and just over 10,000m of vertical ascent, finishing in just under 24 hours.
Tanya told the Wanaka App she climbed about 1000m more than Mt Everest, therefore “another Roys Peak on top of Everest.”
“That was well beyond what I thought I could achieve,” she said.
Tanya at the base of Roy’s Peak. PHOTO: Supplied
“I genuinely had the best time,” she said, adding it wasn’t until the seventh lap that she started feeling the pain, and realised she “didn’t want to do another one”.
Tanya had plenty of support during her challenge: Local trail legends Mal and Sally Law joined her for the first lap, and Brook van Reenen for the second and the final lap. Tanya had only the fourth lap by herself.
Each lap took about 2.45 hours to complete, including 10 minutes or so in the aid station for her to eat some food.
“It feels a bit like a dream,” Tanya said. “All those people that supported were so amazing - even people climbing the trail were so supportive.”
Tanya has been fundraising for Shine for more than a year.
“I wanted to raise money and raise awareness,” she said. “I used Shine myself when I left my husband six and a half years ago. They were an amazing support for me and my children.”
Tanya said Shine is not well known as an organisation, and while not all of its services are available locally, its free national helpline (0508-744-633) is.
“People tend to keep out of other people’s business,” Tanya said, adding that sometimes we do need to get in other people’s businesses and ask questions.
People can call Shine if they are worried about people around them.
So far Tanya has raised more than $2,000 for the organisation, $1,000 of which came from Saturday’s event and the other $1,000 through previous fundraising. She may not reach her goal of $5,000 soon, but plans to eventually: “It might take a few more mountains though.”
Tanya, who has a three year running plan, said her next event will be the Northburn 100 mile race in March. It will be the final of her four South Island 100 mile races, collectively called the Southern Season Miler Challenge. If Tanya completes Northburn she will be the first woman to complete all four races.
Donate to Shine here.