Brooke Thomas - Running with a heart condition. The Nurse who broke the women’s record for completing the Te Araroa Trail, NZ (3,000km) in 57 days!

<div>Earlier this year, On January 22, Brooke Thomas an ultra runner and nurse, finished running the 3,000km Te Araroa Trail. Which starts at Cape Regina in the North Island and runs through to Buff, which is the bottom of the South Island. </div> <div> </div> <div>Brooke started her journey (supported) on November 26, 2020 and ran for 57 days, 12 hours, breaking the Te Araroa women’s route record by almost nine days! </div> <div> </div> <div>During this episode, Brooke shares more about her love of running and why she wanted to take on this challenge, she shares the high points; running 100km in one day and finishing the challenge. To reflecting back on when she ending up in hospital and not knowing if she would be able to carry on. We talk about the logistics and the physical and mental preparation. Brooke also shares more about her heart condition and how having a pacemaker/defibrillator installed has impacted on her life and running. </div> <div> </div> <div>Brooke was raising money for <a href= "https://heartkids.org.nz" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Heart Kids</a>, a nonprofit organisation in New Zealand that supports children living with heart defects. </div> <div> </div> <div>Brooke in her own words:</div> <div> </div> <div>“At age 22 I was diagnosed with a heart condition and became the recipient of an inserted cardiac pacemaker/defibrillator. Being told you have a long term condition at that age, I reckon it's probably pretty normal to go through the journey of feeling hard done by, asking 'why me', then eventually learning to accept and embrace it. </div> <div> </div> <div>One of my favourite quotes is that "it's not the throw, but the catch". You can't always choose what life might chuck at you, but you decide how to receive it, and what to do next.</div> <div> </div> <div>Being a nurse and witnessing the enormous challenges some patients go through has also definitely helped me to stay grounded when it comes to my own condition, and 100% inspired me to keep pushing my own boundaries.</div> <div> </d