For this Walk1200km participant, no day is complete without a walk.

Back in her early working days in San Francisco, Kathryn Reed, would take an extra pair of shoes to work to go for a walk at midday, then gobble her lunch when she got back. She’s been a walker her whole life – in the city, around the orchards after she married and moved to New Zealand, along Ninety Mile Beach where she lived for a while in her years as a teacher and mother. And now, at 72, in the Coromandel. 

“I just love the air and the light and the breeze on my face, and especially here, because I can walk along the sea. Smells great. You see so much more when you’re walking,” she says.

For Kathryn, walking is more about her mind than her body. “Even before mental health became a big deal, it was a big deal to me. But it wasn’t talked about. I knew that walking wasn’t about controlling my weight. It wasn’t about getting fit. It was always about how it made me feel. Just to figure out what I need to figure out, in order to stay positive.” 

After Kathryn broke her hip, she found she was getting a bit depressed, but once she crossed that swing bridge at Karangahake Gorge, she says, “I couldn’t believe it, I could finally do it again. Generally, I find I’m a fairly resilient person and I’ve managed to get through pretty well. And I put that down to walking. Going out, getting fresh air, getting a bit of exercise, getting the blood pumping; having time to reflect and relax and letting my brain just go free.”

Though Kathryn also tramps, she prefers to walk right from her front door, by herself. “For years when I was working, I’d set the alarm for twenty past five and go out with a torch and hi-vis vest – before I was even really awake. It would only be a short walk, maybe 25 minutes – come back, have a shower … Anything that happened after that was okay because I’d had a walk.”

Kathryn has completed Walk1200km, saying, “I go for a walk just about every day. You can do it anywhere. All you need is a pair of shoes. You can do it in any weather. But next time, I’m only going to count my intentional walks. And do more of the microchallenges.”

There’s no denying Kathryn’s an incredibly active person – she’s an athlete, regularly winning her age-group at tri-events and swims around the country – but after the pressure, which she doesn’t enjoy, back at home she thinks, “Thank goodness that’s over, now I’m going to go for a walk. That is my 100 per cent reward. That’s my thing. That is what I love to do the best.”