Auckland grandma set for her second Hawke's Bay Marathon

Grandmother Charlotte Nasey is fast approaching her 200th marathon.

Auckland grandmother Charlotte Nasey has been pounding the pavement in preparation for next month's Air New Zealand Hawke's Bay Marathon.

The 66-year-old is fast approaching 200 marathons as she aims to complete one on every continent, but cites the Hawke's Bay route among her favourites.

Ms Nasey has competed in 166 marathons since catching the running bug almost 20 years ago, and is showing no signs of slowing down after committing her return to the Hawke's Bay event on May 13.

I have always wanted to do Antarctica, it has always been on my bucket list ...

Charlotte Nasey

The trip will satisfy two of Ms Nasey's passions - running and a love of all things vintage.
"My partner, Ernie, is a runner and we ride motorbikes. He is fanatical about vintage motorbikes. We have managed to fit in motorbike rides with the marathons and that has taken us to places where we wouldn't have gone to otherwise."

The two-wheel enthusiast competed in the inaugural Hawke's Bay Marathon last year, and also took in the Art Deco Festival.

Nowadays the running is left to Ms Nasey, while Ernie is the couple's official photographer.

"Ernie has a heart condition now and is not allowed to run anymore, but he always comes to support me and he takes a lot of photographs," she said.

Running and visiting new places has become a way of life for the Auckland grandmother, with Hawke's Bay one of many on the list this year.

"This year I'm doing the Rapanui Marathon, on Easter Island, then come back to do Wellington, with Hawke's Bay in between," she said. "Then I'm off to South Africa to do the Big Five Safari Marathon."

Ms Nasey's goal of running on each continent is also taking shape, and she's ready to brave the cold of Antarctica.

"I have always wanted to do Antarctica, it has always been on my bucket list and then I found out about the seven continents challenge," she said.

"I thought I am nearly there already, so I will have that as a priority goal with Antarctica being the final continent to conquer, hopefully I can achieve that next year."