Holly Ewens-Smith and her partner Alex are taking on one of the toughest endurance challenges of this year’s 120 Challenge – running and walking 120,000 steps in just 24 hours.
Setting off at midnight on 26 March, the pair will take on a demanding 100-kilometre loop through Marlborough, a challenge that is local and deeply personal for both Holly and Alex.
“We have both struggled with endometriosis for most of our lives,” Holly says. “It’s not talked about enough, nor acknowledged as the debilitating condition that it can be.”
“Running 100 kilometres is about showing what it takes to keep moving forward when your body is constantly fighting you,” Alex says.
Taking on 120,000 steps
The first of Holly and Alex’s 120,000 steps will begin at Snap Fitness in Blenheim before looping through Picton, Linkwater, Havelock and Renwick and returning to the gym for an open evening.
The inspiring pair of fitness advocates will start the challenge at midnight, with most of the early kilometres completed in the dark before supporters join them throughout the day.
“It will be a combination of running the flats and descents, and walking the elevations,” Holly says. “We will have a tracking link so people know where we are and will also be posting ETAs on our Instagram pages, @120k_for_change and @snapfitnessblenheim.
Training has involved steadily increasing their running mileage alongside strength training to help prevent injuries.
“We both love pushing ourselves to see what we’re truly capable of,” Alex says.
Living with endometriosis
Holly and Alex hope their run will help people better understand the reality of living with endometriosis.
For Holly, endometriosis has shaped much of her life since her teenage years.
“During a flare-up my cramps have me unable to sit up straight and even the smallest movement causes my hips and back to spasm.”
“Loading up on pain relief, carrying a heat pack everywhere, gritting my teeth and just trying to get through the day has been my reality for years.”
“There’s always anxiety around finances, but also how I’m perceived in the workplace. I worry that I come across as inconsistent when some days I can’t get out of bed, or when I’m here, I’m unable to be fully present.”
“Endometriosis is much more than just bad period pain, says Alex. It’s a whole body disease that can take your energy, your strength and sometimes your sense of control over your own life.”
“It’s the kind of exhaustion that sleep doesn’t fix. Some days you wake up already feeling like you’ve run a marathon before the day has even begun.”
Today the condition still affects Alex’s mobility.
“It affects my sciatic nerve, causing constant pain, numbness and weakness down my leg. Some days I struggle to walk properly or trust that my leg won’t give out beneath me.”
“People might see me limping or struggling physically and assume I’ve injured myself. But what they’re seeing isn’t an injury, it’s an invisible disease becoming visible.”
“For those living with endo, you’re not crazy, and you’re not weak,” Alex says. Your pain is real. Your exhaustion is real. And you deserve to be listened to, believed and supported.”
“Sometimes strength doesn’t look like running 100 kilometres. Sometimes strength is simply getting through the day.”
Local community lends its support
While Holly and Alex will complete the 120,000 steps themselves, they are inviting members of Snap Fitness Blenheim and the wider Marlborough community to join them along the route.
“We’re expecting people to jump in for different sections of the course,” Holly says.
Local businesses have already rallied behind the effort, with several supporting the challenge by sponsoring parts of the course and providing Alex and Holly with nutrition and supplies.
Supporters can also claim sections of the route, with donations helping fund the advocacy and support work of Endometriosis New Zealand.
“We’ve set it up so $10 sponsors one kilometre of the course,” Holly explains. “So far more than half of the route has already been claimed by local legends.”
120 Challenge – promoting your stories and turning them into action
Endometriosis affects an estimated 120,000 people in Aotearoa New Zealand, yet awareness, diagnosis, and access to effective treatment pathways remain ongoing challenges.
Through the 120 Challenge, individuals and groups across the country are committing to doing something ‘120-themed’ from impressive physical and mental challenges, such as what Holly and Alex are doing, to creative and ‘arts and crafts’ projects. The goal is to raise the funds necessary to help support those living with endometriosis in Aotearoa.
How You Can Get Involved
You can donate to ‘Snap Fitness Blenheim’ here or any of our other amazing ‘Challengers’ here.
If you want to take on a challenge yourself then the 120 Challenge is open to everyone and every effort helps support people living with endometriosis across New Zealand.