Roe inspires trio to take on Great Wall

New Zealand running legend Alison Roe (third from left) has inspired the Martin family of Victoria, 31 (left), twin sister Lucie and mum Barbara, 55. Photo / Supplied

Survival strategies from a legend of New Zealand long-distance running have been invaluable to a Whangarei mother and her daughters as the trio fly out tonight for China to run a marathon along the Great Wall.

Barbara Martin, 55, and 31-year-old twins Lucie and Victoria will have a chance to walk a short section of the wall later this week in preparation for Saturday's 42km, 5164-step marathon.

As a surprise to inspire them before the race, the trio's coach Michael Davis whisked them away on Saturday for a lunch date with a "mystery guest".

Mr Davis had mentioned Alison Roe in conversation, so the women guessed it might be Roe and started thinking about what they wanted to ask her.

"It would have been a waste not to get anything out of it," Lucie said.

All three women were a bundle of excitement as Roe arrived at Mahurangi River Winery.

"I just wanted to cry," Barbara said.

She is the same age as Roe, and remembers when the marathon legend was at her prime.

"She wasn't just doing it by a few seconds, she was smashing records."

Her daughters, however, were "in nappies" at the time, but they knew the famous name and were equally inspired by her.

Victoria said the main piece of advice they got from Roe was to talk to yourself and use positive visualisation.

"She was saying you can't control the weather, you can't control the temperature, and she said she used to say to herself 'I'm feeling refreshed," regardless of what the conditions were."

On the Great Wall run, Victoria will also battle her fear of heights, after facing it gradually over the past year. "I've been up Mt Manaia three times."

Lucie is the only one of the three to have been to China before, on her OE in 2010.