Athlete Stories

The Unstoppable Runner: The Alan Rogerson Story

Alan Rogerson used to be a top-level club and Waikato runner. A consistently reliable member of relay teams, he was a regular fixture at the front of the pack in club events, ultimately winning both club and Waikato championship titles. His personal bests speak volumes about his talent: just over 50 minutes for 10 miles, just over 30 minutes for 10km, a blistering 14:23 for 5km on the track, and a 2:30:07 marathon at Rotorua. From his early days as a "colt" in harrier events up until 1990, Alan amassed an impressive running career, completing nine marathons, including Melbourne, Honolulu (twice), Hamilton (twice), and Rotorua (four times).

That competitive chapter ended abruptly in December 1990. While cycling home from a Sunday training run with a friend, an oncoming car veered onto the wrong side of the road, striking Alan. Though bicycle helmets weren't common practice back then, Alan was wearing one. It undoubtedly saved his life taking the brunt of the impact and splitting in two before he hit the road face-first. The months that followed remain a blur of Emergency, ICU, HDU, general, and rehabilitation wards, before he finally returned home to begin outpatient care.

The accident left Alan with a severe brain injury, which presents as stroke-like effects on his right side, poor short-term memory, and some speech difficulties. His knees were also badly damaged. Yet, the core of who he was never changed. During his rehabilitation, a carer began taking him out for walks that eventually turned into runs. It wasn’t fast, but being a runner was simply who Alan was.

Embracing this next chapter, he joined Parafed Waikato and went on to hold both the 800m and 1500m records for his disability classification. He held onto the 1500m record for decades, only for it to be broken in February of this year.

In 1997, a former running coach noticed a group heading to the New York City Marathon and managed to secure a spot for Alan. Because he was facing imminent ankle surgery, the news was kept a secret until his recovery. The NYC Marathon proved to be a spectacular journey. Alan crossed the finish line in 6 hours and 39 minutes alongside his training partner, Donna Southwick, and two US-based guides. To this day, if you ask Alan about the trip, his absolute highlight was meeting his hero, Bill Rodgers the legendary multi-time winner of the New York and Boston marathons. In an incredible full-circle moment in May of this year, a trip to the USA allowed Alan to meet Bill once again, spending three wonderful hours hanging out at a café with him and his partner.

Some years after the New York trip, the local community grew when Peter Loft relocated to Hamilton and established an active Achilles Waikato chapter. Naturally, Alan and his support team jumped right in. By this stage, his damaged knees were causing immense pain. After two surgeries, the surgeon advised against further operations to avoid total joint destruction. The difficult decision was made to transition fully from running to walking.

Today, Alan’s knees continue to cause severe pain though in characteristic fashion, he humbly describes it as just being "a bit sore." Even as his knees gradually deteriorate, with Achilles Waikato coach Max Holmes’s guidance and support, Alan’s determination remains unshaken. He will keep walking for as long as he possibly can. This year alone, he completed the 5km in Taupo, is officially entered in the Auckland 5km, and is eagerly anticipating the 6km Round the Bridges event in Hamilton, a race he ran regularly "back in the day" before its transition from an old-school harrier race into the mass-participation festival it is today.

While he now reserves his outdoor walking for just once a week to protect his joints, Alan keeps his fitness moving forward on the other days, splitting his time between an exercycle, the gym, and riding a trike at the Velodrome. He remains, through and through, a true athlete.

The Journey Between Two Start Lines:

In 2023, I was getting ready to walk 10km. This November, I’m heading to Auckland with a goal of doing the half marathon in three hours. There have been a few kilometres, a fair bit of training, and some fabulous people between those two points!

My name is Antnz and I joined Achilles Manawatū in early 2023. I’d heard of Achilles before and had seen on Facebook that the local chapter was becoming more active. I was training for the Manawatū Striders 10km, with a bigger goal coming up in October: my first half marathon, as an ambassador for Assistance Dogs New Zealand Trust at 4 Paws in Christchurch.

At first, I wanted to find out what support Achilles could offer on event day. I have a mobility impairment due to cauda equina and partial paraplegia, and I was a little worried about getting jostled by other competitors and falling over. My assistance dog, Raven, would be alongside me, so I wanted to make sure she had room too.

Wendy was my guide for that first 10 km, and I was very glad she was there when the 5 km runners caught up with us! Having someone help direct people around us meant I could concentrate on where my feet were going, while Raven could get on with her job.

There was a lot of preparation before we got to that start line. Walking the distance, practising the course, working out pacing, and trying to get nutrition, hydration, and recovery sorted. Somewhere along the way, the athlete in me started making an appearance. I had a time in mind, I’d done the training, and I wanted to see what I could do.

Then came 4 Paws. Wendy agreed to guide me again, and Raven and I headed to Christchurch for our first half marathon. I’d been building up my Saturday walks towards 20 km, but there were still a few nerves about putting it all together on the day.

We made it! There were medals, a sit-down, and ice cream for both humans and dogs. Raven had certainly earned hers.

Since then, there have been more start lines, more finish lines, and more people in Achilles yellow alongside me. Auckland’s 11 km, Round the Bays Wellington, Rotorua, and Taupō have all become part of the journey.

It hasn’t always been a tidy training programme. Work gets busy, my body doesn’t always agree with the plan, and sometimes I need to pull back. I’ve missed an event because I needed the rest. There are also days when getting out to train or doing the stretching takes a bit of convincing. Having a bigger goal helps, but so does knowing when to adjust things.

In 2025, I started learning to run again. That felt a little weird! I went on to run most of a couple of 10 km events, and now I’m working towards getting around a half marathon in three hours.

That’s the goal for Auckland this November.

Achilles has become much more than the practical support I first went looking for. There’s a crew to meet up with, people to cheer on, and plenty of conversations about how everyone’s event went. I enjoy seeing other athletes achieve something they’ve been working towards. We each arrive with our own goals, and there’s something pretty cool about being part of that together.

A huge thanks to the guides who give their time, the athletes who keep turning up, and everyone who has been alongside Raven and me. You’ve all helped make these adventures possible.

Now, back to the training. Those 21.1 km aren’t going to walk or run themselves!

Antnz - Achilles Manawatu Athlete

Three Time New Yorker Hosts Taupō Marathon 2026:

Vinnie Klein joined Achilles NZ at the end of 2011 with one year to train for her first marathon aged 38. She had never run in my life!

She was inspired to run the NYC marathon after attending a couple of Blind Foundation cycling and kayaking trips where she met Mike Lloyd and Mike Stevens who shared how amazing the event is! She rang Peter Loft (Achilles NZ Co-Founder) who said, You're in! Just get training!

"We met Peter and the team of Achilles peeps at the Auckland airport November 2012. That trip was incredibly memorable as just getting to NY was a struggle as Hurricane Sandy arrived there before us! Unfortunately, that year the marathon was canceled, we had a great week though with all our new friends!

We all decided to return the next year and that we did! NYC marathon 2013 was the best day ever! It’s one big party, sometimes I didn’t know whether to run or dance! It was so good we went and did it again in 2018! I feel so lucky to have had that opportunity, thanks to Achilles!

I honestly joined Achilles to do the NYC marathon but have stayed a member as I love the camaraderie, the inspiring athletes, and the selfless guides who put their own running goals aside and give up their time to run beside us and help us reach ours!

In less than two weeks we will have over 80 Achilles members run my hometown Taupo marathon, with Athletes and guides running, walking and wheeling either the 5 10 half or full distance. Myself, and Andrew along with our local guides Marise, Hellene and Steph are excited to welcome Achilles here and get to catch up with old friends and meet some new ones! It’s going to be a great day with lots of PB’s, and a perfect crisp Taupo day!

If you are considering joining Achilles NZ, please reach out! As a visually impaired runner it has been life changing, and my wonderful guide Marise enjoys it too!"

Vinnie's Guide, Marise talks about what she gets out of guiding:

"I am finding being an Achilles guide is a rewarding experience. I have the privilege of guiding Vinnie, and through our training leading up to the Taupō Half Marathon, I've gained the confidence to guide her safely while we work together as a team. The trust

she places in me is incredibly special and watching her achieve her goals fills me with pride. The friendship we are building and the joy we share on every run are priceless. I would encourage anyone to become an Achilles guide—it is an opportunity to make a difference in someone's life, and I can honestly say it has enriched mine."

NZ Blind Cap Shows Resilence to take on Taupō Marathon!​​​​​​​

1. Steve, aka KB, how long have you been part of Achilles NZ/Waikato?

I have been part of Achilles Waikato, in Hamilton since 2016.

2. Why did you join Achilles in the first place?

I was invited by members of Parafed (friends of mine) to come along and see what it is all about. They informed me that it involved running, jogging and walking and I could decide once there, how I would like to take part. I soon found out I enjoyed running after 6 months because I was involved in playing cricket for the NZ Blind Caps (NZ Blind Cricket Team) and preparing for the T20 World Cup in India.

3. What is the most memorable event you have participated in and why?

In my time with Achilles, I have achieved 4 marathons (Rotorua x2, Taupō x1, Auckland x1). However, the most memorable event happened to be the half marathon in Auckland. My guide on the day informed me that he wasn't feeling the best and was unsure how he would go. We happened to be running next to another man and he was in our conversation. We got into the run by about 10kms, just approaching the harbour bridge and my guide couldn't continue. We were very lucky that the man running beside us was prepared to take over guiding me and I was so thankful to finish the event.

4. What is one piece of advice you would give to new Achilles guides who are looking to guide Blind/VI Athlete?

I have one particular guide who I feel very secure and safe with, always watching and aware of any hazards we approach.

My advice to new/future guides would be; awareness, concentration and taking seriously the job at hand. Keeping everyone safe is the good guide's main aim!

5. Last year you were gearing up for Taupō and had a bad accident and missed it. Can you tell us about that?

Last year before Taupō, I had been having lower back issues and on physio advice, only entered the 10km. However, before Taupō, I was cycling on a tandem with my pilot, training around the roads around Cambridge, as I love to cycle as well since 2018. While out training, we happened to have a wee altercation with a car travelling at 100km/hr. She swerved to avoid and clipped our front wheel as we pulled out of a give way. The result, a broken femur/hip for me and serious concussion for my guide. I had a full hip replacement and have been building up to get back into my running. I completed a half marathon in June this year but this 10km is the one I had entered last year, hence doing it this year.

6. Anything else you would like to tell us?

I would like to thank the Achilles "family" for all the support, care and encouragement I have experienced during my time with Achilles!

FROM THE MOUTH OF STEVE'S GUIDE:

"I have guided Steve Donnelly for over seven years, his sunshine personality has affected me deeply, and quite often I joke that if I had a difficult week at work, I just need to run a “talkathon” with Steve and everything will be fine. I have never encountered anyone with such positive and enthusiastic attitude towards life, especially living with physical disability. He has collected quite a few blood-points from his guides, e.g. he ran into the side of phone box, nearly felt into Hamilton Garden lake, attacked by tree branches, but he never blamed his guides."

Achilles Chair set to do the double in six days....

Our Achilles NZ Chair, Paul Barclay, is less than 24 hours away from taking on both the Boston and London marathons, two marathons in two different countries, within 6 days.

Here's what he has to say in his lead up to this double:

1. You completed the Berlin marathon last year and have finished many other marathons, what learnings and experiences did you take out of that event/trip and other marathons you have done?

I was very fortunate to get a place in the 2025 Berlin Marathon via Achilles International.  No 2 marathons are the same.  The course is different, the weather is different, the preparation is different and the “head space” is different each time.  Berlin was very hot and much more congested than I had anticipated.  It was the hottest weather and most congested marathon I had completed.  I was initially disappointed at my finishing time, but I realized afterwards that I was very fortunate to have that experience and that they don’t all go to plan.  The opportunity to do the tourist things while there was an additional part of the trip that many people never get to experience.

    2. What made you decide to do the London and Boston Marathons coming up?

It is my goal to be the first Achilles New Zealand runner to complete the 6 Stars of the Abbott World Major Marathons.  These 2 marathons in April will complete 4 of the 6.  Both are one-off opportunities that possibly wont’ arise again.  Entry to Boston is via qualification time.  I had a great run in the 2024 New York Marathon which qualified me for Boston.  Entry to London was via Achilles International which might not happen again.  I am interested in running as many different Marathons as I can.  Of the 13 marathons to date, only 1 has been done twice, i.e. Christchurch in 2021 and 2024.

    3. What has your training looked like leading up to London/Boston and have you had any setbacks?

I developed my own training plan before my first Marathon back in 2020.  It involves mixing flat runs with hill runs and increasing distances or elevation each week.  It culminates with a 35km flat run 2 weeks before the marathon.  That training regime has worked well for me for the previous 13 Marathons.  The only thing I have done differently this time was to get advice from a Nutritionist.  That was particularly around the recovery from Boston and the preparation for London.  There are only 5 days between them with the inclusion of trans-Atlantic travel.  Thankfully I haven’t had any setbacks in the preparation for these 2 Marathons.

     4.How are you feeling with looking to do two marathons back-to-back? 

There is a mix of nervousness and anticipation.  The 2 closest Marathons to date have been 4 weeks apart.  The key thing will be focusing on recovery/preparation between them.  The other thing will be to not get sick from the plane flights.  I will be 1 of those people wearing a mask on the plane to reduce that possibility.  There is a sense of relief at the end of each training run that is completed without injury.

      5. Anything else you would like us to know or acknowledgements?

I am very grateful for the support from Tony and Rosie and the other guides who run with me on the training runs.  Without that preparation the Marathons would be an impossibility.  I can’t put into words how much gratitude I have for Rosie and Tony who travel with me to run those overseas marathons.  They take time off work to run them with me.  I couldn’t run them without their support.

I am also grateful for the many people who have contributed to our Give A Little page and come along to the Quiz Night fundraisers.  It is my aim to fundraise the flight and accommodation costs of Tony and Rosie.  Thankfully I managed to do that for New York, Berlin and should achieve it again for Boston and London.  I think of all of those people who have contributed to the fundraising when the going gets a bit hard on a training run or during the Marathon.  That helps keep me going.

I am also extremely grateful for the support and encouragement from my wife Jane and our daughter Hannah.  London will be extra special as they will be there.  This is the first and possibly only time that they will both be at an Abbott World Major Marathon with me.

It's not too late to donate - Paul’s world major marathon journey - Givealittle