Iron-will an Inspiration

The inspiring story of Napier mother-of-four, Tracey Richardson, has made headlines around the world. Two of Richardson’s children have cystic fibrosis and, in 2002, she decided to create awareness for the disease by competing in the 2004 NZ Ironman. News of her mission spread internationally, resulting in her invitation to attend the Ironman World Championship in Hawaii. She came 1,446th in a race with a record number of non-finishers, both professional and amateur. “For me Ironman has been about finding out who I am and what I am made of, of discovering a strength deep inside me that I could draw on to get me through, a strength I know I will need to tap in to in the sad times to come,” says Richardson. “Ironman from the very start was always about setting an example and inspiring my children to believe that no matter what the goal, or how unattainable it might appear, that by taking one step at a time in the right direction you get there eventually.”