Tina Wild ‘a Love of Running'

Introduction:

In all my years, and there have been a few of them as I'm sixty-one as of today, I have never seen anyone with the dedication to running and overcoming adversity as Tina Wild.

I met Tina when she worked for Runners World, a major hang out for runners of all shades of ability, situated in a basement shop in Cuba Street, Wellington, New Zealand. At that time she was a running ‘star' in the making winning numerous road, cross country and track races throughout New Zealand having come over from Stockport England to join her parents who were already living in NZ. Then came that fateful day when an idiot drunk driver stopped a young person in her tracks. From that moment on Tina's life changed forever.

Tina Wild Her Story

Before 1980 I was into running seriously from an early age and won Cheshire County titles on the track and cross country, the first being over 880 yards in 1969. I represented the North of England at cross country and won National Team titles with Sale Harriers Manchester before coming to New Zealand.

I was running for Wellington Harriers, now known as WHAC, from 1978 onwards and had success with the club on track, road and cross country winning numerous individual and team titles, with the highlight being 1st reserve for the New Zealand Cross Country Team to the World Championships - missing out on the travelling team by one second from a certain Alison Roe. I also had the British Best time for 10 miles on the road and the 1 hour track race, the latter also being a Commonwealth Best and 4th ranked in the World.

I moved into 1980 with personal bests on the track and had won a few titles over the country again so I was in good form coming up to the important winter races that are held in July and August each year.

I went for a training run with my coach on July 20th and on that night my life was changed forever. Whilst using the zebra crossing near the then "Roundhouse" now demolished and known as the Westpac Stadium, a wreckless drunken driver overtook all the stationary cars and mowed us down. I could have quite easily died due to the injuries sustained, ie: two fractures of the skull causing an 80% hearing loss, permanent loss of smell and taste, broken and detached arm which needed to be re-attached to the shoulder joint, broken leg which needed a bone graft from the hip bone and the general attachments that goes with this procedure and on top of this the stress both physical and mental that goes hand in hand with such a traumatic accident (even if one is very fit at the time!).

I was incredibly lucky to have a surgeon at the time that thought to try and save my leg rather than just "chopping it off" and becoming an amputee! However other than this ‘bright spot' I was surrounded by negativity in the medical world, so I set about reading as much as possible on recovery with natural vitamins and herbs. I combined these new ideas with willpower and set on the long road to recovery. I had to learn to walk, talk, write and slowly - ever so slowly, get fit again.

To gain further knowledge of the human body on the physical side, I studied for my Diploma in Exercise Science at Wellington Polytech and at the same time slowly learnt to walk and then jog again, all feeling very alien to what I had always been used to. I also set running goals.

In 1984 I ran my first marathon in Christchurch and finished 2nd in a time of 2 hours, 45 minutes and eleven seconds. I had started the marathon with my partner Lew but he had told me at the half way point that the pace was a "little too quick" for him so I continued on my own. The following year I returned to Christchurch and bettered my time by 5 seconds! (a long way for a small gain but I was chuffed). Then I was selected for the New Zealand team to run the World Cup in Japan which was a wonderful experience! I was 1st home for New Zealand as Lorraine Moller didn't finish.

In this stage of my running career I also ran and won the Wellington Marathon, and the Perth Marathon in a Western Australian record, and in New Zealand colours! Having done these marathons and proved that my body could cope over 26 miles (42kms) I moved back down to normal distances and raced over the road and cross country for Wellington Harriers, the high point being reached in 1996 when we won the New Zealand National Road Relay Championships in Palmerston North.
I have been ‘running' my Health Shop in Johnsonville since 1995 and cater for all walks of life from the elite athletes to everyday health conscious people looking for natural products to increase their quality of living. A healthy lifestyle should be sought by all as the length of one's life is not ‘only' what counts but the quality at which one lives it!

This is a summary of the vitamins, minerals and herbs that I have found to be beneficial for my continuing road to recovery.

• High doses of ‘B' vitamins for stress and energy levels. I recommend NFS B Max or 02b B100 Complex
• High doses of Vitamin C for healing properties, dosages taken throughout the day for better absorption. I recommend NFS C Max or 02b chewable C
• High doses of Glucosamine & Chondroitin for the rebuilding and regeneration of my joints. I recommend NFS Glucosamine Sulphate Complex 1900.
• High doses of Omega 3 Fish Oil which is "the magic combination" with Glucosamine, for joint lubrication. I recommend NFS Omega Fish Oil 1200mg.
• I also took the womens herb Vitex Agnus Castus for normalising and stabilizing monthly menstrual cycles which went haywire due to my head injury. I would now recommend using NFS PMT Manager.
• When I was training and racing for peak performance I would also need a good magnesium intake for muscle repair and relaxation. NFS Magnesium Ultra is the one which I continue to take each day. Another excellent New Zealand brand is 02b Magnesium Complex.

Try some or all of the above Supplements for a truly "Healing Experience"

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