Mental Health Nurse Returns to the Auckland Marathon After the Toughest Year of Her Life
Forty-nine-year-old Tania Hartley hadn’t missed an Auckland Marathon event for five years before a traumatic brain injury left her unable to compete in 2020.
After taking a year off to rehabilitate and recover, she will be back at her beloved hometown event when she lines up for the Barfoot and Thompson Half Marathon as part of the 2021 Auckland Marathon on Sunday 23 January 2022.
Tania is a mental health nurse at Starship Hospital and commutes there every day by bike on the cycleway from her home in Te Atatū. She is passionate about being active and keeping fit, and regularly enters marathon and half marathon events as a walker.
“I’ve always loved walking and I was really athletic and sporty when I was young. In my years, and of course being a nurse, I find that I do a lot of cycling because the Peninsula here is linked into the beautiful cycleway all the way into the hospital,” said Tania.
However, on 27 August 2020 Tania suffered a debilitating work-related injury that resulted in a concussion and was diagnosed with a traumatic brain injury.
The injury affected Tania greatly, not least because the ability to exercise was taken away from her.
“The first few months were absolutely horrific because I move all the time, I’m a really busy person, so to be told I couldn’t do anything was very challenging in itself,” said Tania. “I had to have neuro physiotherapy to help heal the brain and do lots of cognitive exercises.”
Reeling from her brain injury, Tania was forced to take a break from the job she loves dearly as she was unable to tolerate light or sound.
After five weeks off, she started going back to work for two hours a day, three days a week and over time she began upping her work hours each week.
“It’s taken me a year to rehab back into fulltime work. My job is really intense, and I had to do quite a bit of therapy to reduce my startled reflex and start feeling safe again,” said Tania. “I didn’t actually do any nursing as such, it was more support work and just over the whole 13 months every week my hours would increase but then I’d have a period of real fatigue and then I’d slip back.”
A year of committed rehabilitation took its toll on Tania.
“The whole year has been about work rehab and then lockdowns because of Covid have been very isolating,” said Tania. “I lost a lot of independence and I think the hardest thing for me was the vulnerability I felt and at times whether I would get well again.
“There were times when I thought this is who I am now, this forgetful, dulled and confused person. Probably the hardest thing I’ve ever done actually.”
Fortunately, Tania is now on the way to a full recovery and has been able to start exercising again.
“I was determined that I would get back because I just love my job, I love what I do and it’s really important to me,” said Tania. “The last three weeks have been about me getting back out on my racing bike, walking, reducing all the medication that I’ve had to take with the brain injury so now I’m med-free.”
Lining up at the Devonport start of the Auckland half marathon in January will be a full-circle moment for Tania.
“Cognitively and work wise I’m back but completing the half marathon will mean that I’m completely back, that physical side of myself as well,” said Tania. “Just doing the event will be great to get back into the event world that I love, I get so excited.
“I’ve met lots of people through marathons and catch up with them at events and keep in touch because we love the events for the atmosphere and the participation. It’s never about winning anything, it’s just about being there on the start line.”
Thousands of runners will join Tania on 23 January 2022 when they take to the streets of Auckland to conquer the Harbour Bridge for the 30th anniversary of the Auckland Marathon.
The bridge crossing is an aspect of the event that gives Tania goosebumps each time.
“I’m in awe of it. The first time was amazing, we stopped and took heaps of photos which I still do. It’s incredible to be able to do it,” said Tania. “You come up the side of the bridge and there’s the Chinese community on the drums and they are amazing as you come up.
“I love the Auckland Marathon, it’s probably one of my favourites. It’s the biggest but it also has a really nice vibe to it.”
