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A young woman aims to finish her first marathon for the 115 women around the world murdered on runs they didn’t get the chance to finish.

“They went for a run because they loved it – and never came home.”

Nicole Pendreigh, a 23-year-old runner from Hawke’s Bay, plans to finish a marathon in Taupō in August.

After a terrifying encounter on a run, where she was followed and chased by a man, Pendreigh got thinking about how she could make a difference.

She decided to set up a Givealittle page to help raise funds for women’s safety through the family violence service provider Shine NZ.

“Running has become a source of strength and healing for me. But for many women, it’s also a source of fear,” she told the Herald.

This race is a challenge she was once told she would never be able to do after a serious hip injury meant she could only run 30 seconds at a time.

Nicole Pendreigh, a 23-year-old runner from Hawke’s Bay, plans to finish a marathon in Taupō on August 2. Photo / Supplied

From injury to marathon-ready

In 2022, Pendreigh fractured her hip and suffered a labral tear, leading to years of pain after her injury was initially misdiagnosed as a groin strain.

“I didn’t get any scans done. I was kind of doing the wrong sort of rehab for it, which led to an impingement,” she said.

“There was extra bone growth on my femur, which causes my bones to rub together on my hip.”

Her hip capsule was inflamed and had become thickened.

“I tried to get cortisone injections for it because I couldn’t sit for over an hour.

“I couldn’t walk uphill or downhill. I couldn’t sit on the ground without pain.”

Pendreigh said she was told to give up running and look for another hobby because it was “just something I’ll have to deal with now”.

At the beginning, she was only able to run for short distances and could only manage 30-second blocks.

After years of rehab, Pendreigh has built up her body’s tolerance for running.

“I think later on it might give me a bit of grief, but it’s definitely worth it for the [marathon] day.”

‘Constantly getting scared’

Pendreigh said the run will be about more than just crossing the finish line.

“It’s about honouring the lives of women lost and working toward a future where every woman can run freely and safely.”

Pendreigh said because of her schedule and the winter season she is forced to run at night or early morning in the dark.

“I’m constantly getting scared from my own shadow ... and people or males coming towards me.”

She told the Herald she was on a daytime beach run when an incident with a man occurred that sparked her desire for change.

“I was running, and he thought it was a fun time to just yell at me, and he started running after me, which was super scary,” she said.

“It got me thinking about how unsafe women feel when running and how normal it is for me to feel like that on a run.

“I wanted to make it not normal.”

Women assaulted and killed on runs

Pendreigh said she will be dedicating her marathon to 115 women killed on runs worldwide, including murdered Kiwi runners Jo Pert and Margaret-Lynne Baxter.

The young athlete will be wearing a custom top with all 115 names.

“I’ll bring all of them across the line. I’ve got all 115 names on the back of my top and two of them are New Zealanders as well.”

Nicole Pendreigh plans to tackle a marathon event wearing a top bearing the names of 115 women killed on runs worldwide. Photo / Supplied

Wellington resident Margaret-Lynne Baxter was run down, abducted, raped and murdered near the Hastings suburb of Flaxmere during a Sunday morning run in 2001.

In 2016, mother-of-two Jo Pert died after being attacked while out jogging in Remuera, Auckland.

“I really want to have them along with me in the journey,” Pendreigh said.

“Just knowing that they were trying to do something for enjoyment and got their lives taken because of it.”