Survivor conquers New York

MARATHON EFFORT: Maryanne Hooson in New York with one of her guides, Pascale Biliau of Belgium. PHOTO / SUPPLIED

A Northland stroke survivor who completed this year's New York Marathon after her 2012 attempt was thwarted by Hurricane Sandy says it was the best run of her life.

The event held extra significance for Russell's Maryanne Hooson because it was the last marathon she will ever run.

Eight years of favouring one leg, after a devastating stroke that almost ended her life, has worn out her left hip. She is due for a hip replacement on November 26, ending her life-long passion for endurance running.

Mrs Hooson, 53, was to have had her hip replacement after the 2012 New York Marathon but postponed the operation when Hurricane Sandy forced the event's cancellation.

The veteran of more than 40 marathons continued training for another year despite the pain and was still buzzing when she arrived home late last week.

"I really, really loved it. What a way to end a marathon career," she said.

"It was by far the best event I've ever done. It wasn't like running a marathon, it was like a 26-mile-long party."

Mrs Hooson said since her stroke she did not cope well with crowds and loud noise, but the encouragement of two million spectators lining the streets helped her through the pain to the finish line.

"In my eyes I felt a personal connection with these strangers. They were calling out my name, high-fiving and encouraging me the whole way. When I finished I thought, 'I can't believe I've just run a marathon'. It was a party from go to whoa."

Her time of 7 hours, 40 minutes was affected by stopping for photos and dancing with every fireman, policeman and gospel singer she met.

She was accompanied by sister Rebecca Drage and guides Niva Retimanu and Pascale Biliau from Achilles, an organisation helping disabled people compete in mainstream sports events. Mrs Drage and Mrs Reti-manu also joined Mrs Hooson and her family in the Kerikeri Half Marathon on Saturday.

The New York event was emotional not just because it was her endurance running swansong but also because of the many other disabled runners they encountered.

"I had to concentrate not to burst out crying when we saw them," she said.

She was already thinking about new sporting challenges after her operation, possibly involving swimming or cycling. Mrs Hooson suffered a massive stroke after a freak waka ama accident in 2005.

She had to learn to walk and talk again and gradually returned to her pre-stroke sport of endurance running. When she arrived in New York to run the 2012 marathon she found the event cancelled and the city in chaos after a battering by one its most powerful hurricanes.