Friends take their dream of Big Apple and run with it

When Whangarei's Viv Hodge and her three close friends hit the streets of New York City, they will be doing more than just shopping, eating out and sipping Cosmopolitans.
"There will definitely be some of that done, but our main reason for our trip is to complete the New York Marathon," Hodge said.
It all happened over a glass of wine two years ago.
Casual runners from Whangarei - Hodge, July Govenor, Angelina Goodhew and Effie Medway from Pukekohe decided to have a crack at the 41st running of the NY City Marathon.
"Before we knew it we had booked and planned the trip," Hodge said.
Each of the women have their own personal reasons for wanting to complete the 42km run among 45000 competitors, weaving their way through the city's boroughs, but the common theme was to go and have fun - as well as seeing the bustling city from a different perspective.
For Hodge, it is also a chance to remember her dad Bill Page, who died of Parkinson's disease on November 8 two years ago.
"That's the day after the marathon and I am running to raise money for Parkinsons New Zealand, so it was quite ironic," she said.
Earlier this year, all of the friends except Medway crossed the ditch to run in the Gold Coast Marathon as preparation. While they feel prepared to run the distance, Hodge said the friends had no idea what to expect on November 7.
"We all got a letter saying we had to be in certain areas at specific times. Because there are so many people, everyone gets allocated a spot and a staggered start time."
The NY Marathon will be Hodge's fifth marathon. She started off walk/running the Kerikeri Half Marathon two years ago and has been hooked ever since.
The "other side of 50 year-old" has done the Gold Coast Marathon twice, the Rotorua, Christchurch and Whangarei Marathons and has gradually cut her time back to a personal best of 4 hours 40 minutes.
However, she and her friends are not expecting to better their respective best times.
"We just want to go and enjoy it, have fun and take in the atmosphere - and try to make it home before dark," she said.