Jo O’Neill is giving herself what some would call a special birthday treat — running 50km to celebrate her 50th birthday.
O’Neill, who turned 50 on January 29, will compete at the Tarawera Ultramarathon — the closest event she could find to her birthday — today, in what will be her final ultra marathon.
"I’d like to say I’ll never give up," she laughed.
"I hope I’m still running at 90, if I live that long.
"I’ll always be involved in the running community but it’s very, very likely that this will be my last ultra race."
Ultra marathons were tough on the body, and took a great deal of mental preparation and juggling four children, plus her job as chief executive of Presbyterian Support Otago — let alone the required training.
But, a big believer in trying everything at least twice, O’Neill wanted to give the Rotorua event another go after taking part two years ago.
She believed this year’s event would be interesting following the recent wet weather in the North Island, making the course damp and more technical, but that made it exciting.
The Caversham Harriers athlete got into marathons back home in England and her running career was "peppered" throughout as she raised her children.
About 10 years ago she got back into running seriously but could barely run around the block at one point.
Through the encouragement of the Dunedin running community, she put one foot in front of the other and kept going.
"I think that anybody is capable of it. I always think if I can do it anybody can do it.
"I just think women, and mums, and workers, people who have responsibilities, often we kind of put ourselves last.
"For me running has been a way to gain my health and fitness in a really strong environment with people who are trying to do life really well — and I’ve never met such a great community, the running community, particularly for me in Dunedin it’s been phenomenal here."
She never expected to return to marathons, let alone ultra marathons, but they tested her and she encouraged all women to pick up a pair of running shoes and give it a go.
"I think it’s really ... growing mental strength and capacity and proving that life outside of your comfort zone is achievable.
"I mentor people in my career as well, and one of the things we try to do is have them understand you don’t have to stay in your comfort zone — stretching yourself is really important, trying new things is really important and resilience is something that you grow from being outside your comfort zone."
