Tearful end to mum's 200km effort

Kahira Rata Olley accompanied by Te Ururoa Flavell arrived in Flaxmere yesterday to a large crowd who had heard her message against abuse loud and clear. Photo / Paul Taylor

Kahira Rata Olley couldn't see the crowd awaiting her at the end of a 200km run because of her tears.

"I was a blubbering mess," she said

"I saw the line of cars on Anderson Rd leading to Flaxmere Park and I was just overcome with emotion, I started bawling my eyes out."

Mrs Olley began running from Rotorua early Wednesday morning for her Running to Stop It Campaign to raise awareness of domestic and sexual abuse.

She was greeted with a haka watched by more than 100 spectators at Flaxmere Park and was reunited with four of her children. She grew up in Flaxmere but now lived in Rotorua.

Though she hadn't finished running until midnight on Saturday, when she arrived in Flaxmere she was pumped to celebrate her achievement.

She said it had been great to have support the whole run, which continued over the finish line with Maori Party co-leader Te Ururoa Flavell running the last 20km with her.

A support crew accompanied her the whole run.

"To be in the middle of nowhere and hear people driving past and tooting to show their support, it was just great."

She had planned to run the entire 250km, but was not able to run a stretch as it was through a high crash risk area.

Aside from the second day, Mrs Olley's run had gone smoothly.

She was only able to run 40km on Thursday - two less than a marathon but 18km less than her daily goal.

She only had three hours sleep the night before, and her body had been recovering from the first day.

"I was gutted, I've got a high pain tolerance but that day was just a bad day," she said.

She said the last 6km were a struggle but, with her family singing and playing guitar beside her, she was able to finish.

Mrs Olley planned to do similar events biannually.

She said she would like to involve high schools, as that was the age she was when abused.