Running through the picturesque peaks and dips of Wānaka as she pushes a rugged, all-terrain buggy containing her pre-schooler son Brax, Victoria Taylor looks every inch the fitness-loving mum.
But with every stride, the 29-year-old is not just honing her health – she is attempting to run one marathon (42.195km) every day for 153 consecutive days, raising funds for the Mental Health Foundation of New Zealand and the Red Cross NZ disaster fund in the process.
Should she succeed, the marathon-mad mother will make history by breaking a female world record, clocking up more than 6455km on foot in the process – approximately the same distance between New Zealand and Bali.
“Running has got me through every step of the toughest times in my life,” tells the Wellington-born, Wānaka-based single mum-of-one, who got the bug for pounding the pavements at the tender age of five. “I’ve had some pretty tough times, but it really has saved me getting out into the fresh air, getting the endorphins going, staying fit and healthy.”
By 14, Victoria, who grew up in Wellington and Taupō, was running half-marathons and, by 19, she had smashed out an impressive 54 marathons in 34 days, comfortably breaking the previous female record for running the length of New Zealand by 14 days.
And her three-year-old mini-me is already following in Victoria’s fast-paced footsteps, running sections of the marathon alongside his mum or cheering her on from his buggy.
“Run faster, Mummy!” pipes up an excited Brax as he and his mother negotiate the lunchtime portion of the daily marathon loop.
“He loves running along with me and he’s so quick on his feet,” tells Victoria proudly. “And when he’s in his buggy and I’m pushing him, he’ll shout, ‘Keep running!’ He’s my amazing little motivator and one of the best ‘whys’ I could ever have for entering the record books.”
Victoria’s got the best cheerleader in three-year-old Brax. “When I’m pushing him, he’ll shout, ‘Keep running!'”
Another poignant “why” is her former boyfriend, who passed away in 2018 after taking his own life at the age of 24.
“We only saw each other for a few months when we were 19 and 20 because I was focused on running and he was going through his own stuff. But we remained friends and he was one of the nicest people I have ever known.
“When I learned of his passing, I thought, ‘Something needs to be done’. We need to make people like him know how beautiful they are and how much they are needed in this world.”
Currently on hiatus from her personal trainer job while she attempts the feat, Victoria dedicates around five hours per day to completing the challenge, although her best running time so far has been three hours 42 minutes – on day 42 of the 42km loop. “There’s a cool symmetry to the numbers,” she smiles.
To make sure everything is done by the book, a team of up to three witnesses records a start, middle and finish time to log with the Guinness Book Of Records.
Burning up to 3000 calories each day, the 1.68m, 52kg athlete makes sure she fuels her body with occasional food stops along her run, even managing to munch on a bagel as she effortlessly chats to us mid-marathon!
After completing her daily target, she fixes herself a large evening meal such as chicken and kūmara or pasta to replenish her body.
On the days where Brax accompanies Victoria, the gruelling run can take up to eight hours, with pit stops for snacks and toilet breaks carefully factored in. With the weather rapidly turning colder, the duo has already endured rain, thunder and lightning along the route – with snow to follow as winter sets in!
But it’s water off a duck’s back for Brax, whom Victoria co-parents. “The other day, it was raining, and he was staying at his dad’s and going to daycare, and he told me, ‘I want to come on the run with you!’
“He’s so cosy in his buggy, which is toasty warm and has a really good rain cover.”
The ambitious mission, tells Victoria, is a great way for mum and son to spend quality time together. “Brax is so clever and observant,” she says. “He notices things that I don’t, such as the amount of mushrooms on our trail. He pointed them out to me the other day and he is just so excited by nature.”
If she succeeds in her mission, it will be on a very significant day for Victoria.
“If all goes to plan, I will break the record on my 30th birthday on 13 August,” she tells. “I wanted to do something special that I would never forget, so I’m literally going to be running out of my twenties! I can’t think of a better way to celebrate this milestone than smashing a world record.”
To donate, search for “Run for a cause” on givealittle.co.nz. If you’re struggling with your mental health, text or call 1737.
