Modern Athlete Magazine Issue 111, October 2018 | Page 15

ROAD RUNNING
over to cycling to maintain my fitness.” Then in 2014
she was diagnosed with breast cancer and underwent
18 months of treatment, but six months later she
began coughing, and nothing helped to stop it.
Ina and Hilton in their young days at the Washie
“They did a scan and found cancer in one of my
lungs, which was unfortunately inoperable due to
being too close to the bronchial pipe, so I have
undergone four cycles of chemo since then, but the
cancer is still spreading. It is now in both lungs and
I struggle to breathe, which means that my muscles
don’t get enough oxygen as a result. Even cycling is
now a struggle, because the downhills are not a rest
opportunity for me, as I am still catching my breath
from the previous uphill!” (At the time of this interview,
shortly after her Washie outing, Ina was still busy with
her fifth cycle of chemo)
ONE MORE WASHIE
However, her medical condition was not going to stop
Ina from going for one more Washie, and thus she
readily agreed to Hilton’s invitation,
in spite of knowing how tough
the route is. “He had to get
special permission from
the organisers, because
the first 35km loop has
no shoulder on the
road, and is run
in the dark. So
we started
together
for the
first
“They kept telling us what an inspiration we are, and it
was wonderful to reach the finish. That last section was so
emotional, and there was an incredible spirit at the finish.”
few kilometres, then Hilton did the loop alone while I
waited in the car with my husband, and rejoined him
for the rest of the race.”
“It was a bit windy and cold at the start, and it
began raining while we were waiting for