Surf to City event becomes tradition

For the Crean family, of Dipton, the Surf to City is a real family tradition.

Kay, Richie, Ella, 5, and Jack, 3, are all preparing for the February 12 event – the only thing yet to work out is just which way to tackle it.

Kay and Ella first took on the Surf to City when they lived in Otatara five years ago. The 12km route from Oreti Beach to Queens Park marked Kay's first walk since she had Ella by caesarean, and she pushed a 6-week-old Ella the whole way in her pram.

Since then, the family has grown, and the Surf to City has become an annual family tradition. "What I really like about it is that it has that real family atmosphere," Kay says.

"Families like to have traditions, and this is one for us. It's an easy one for the kids – it's flat – and it's a really fun day out."

While Ella has sat in a pram, or in a bike seat in the past, this year – her sixth consecutive year – she will bike the ILT Foundation 6km event, alongside Kay. Richie, meanwhile, is looking to get a trailer on the back of his bike to take Jack along on the BNZ-12km sponsored event.

"There are so many options that it makes it easy for families to get involved," Kay says. "I reckon by next year Ella will be biking the whole way. She knows what it's about now, she knows the Surf to City and she wants to get out practising on her bike."

A portion of each Surf to City entry fee goes towards the Heart Foundation and to Athletics Southland.

Heart Foundation heart health advocate Nicola Mason said it was great to see families taking part in the Surf to City every year.

"The key to a healthy heart is starting young, and you couldn't start much younger with the Surf to City than Ella did!" she said.

"It's fantastic that Ella and her family have made this event a tradition. It's great to see the Crean family getting physically active and adopting healthy lifestyles.

"From a Heart Foundation perspective, we love to see Southland families encouraging lifetime habits and factoring fun physical activity into their everyday lives."

There are plenty of options for those looking to take part in this year's Surf to City.

Participants can run, walk or cycle the BNZ-sponsored 12km, run or walk the ILT Foundation 6km Challenge, or take on the AMI Kids in the City or the Halberg Trust event.

The events are presented by Sport Southland.

Entry forms are available at Sport Southland (Invercargill and Gore), BNZ (Invercargill, Winton, Gore, Te Anau), Allan White Sports, AMI and Wensleys Cycles.

- © Fairfax NZ News

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