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Zooming for Zest

  • Words from Zest

      9 November 2025
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    On behalf of the Zest for Life Trust I want thank you so much for your donation, and also to acknowledge Sam’s zestful effort in achieving this run and dedicating his fundraising to our trust. We feel so strongly about the importance of recognising those who have sometimes been called ’the invisible ones’ - people experiencing ME/CFS and fibromyalgia, silently suffering with little energy to look after or advocate for themselves. We want to see them and support them.

    Our trust is a perpetual fund i.e. our capital is invested and we distribute interest earned, and in the next few months we hope to begin reaching out to people in the Nelson and Tasman districts and distributing some grants. We will keep fundraising into the future to grow our fund and would love support from anyone who has bright ideas or energy to help us with this. One idea is to get a team going for running events in our district next year (with Sam as our esteemed leader!) and we’d also like to run another big cycling event at the end of summer if we can get a team of volunteers. Please let me know if you have the capacity and enthusiasm to be involved.

    Once again thanks for being wonderful and supporting Zest for Life.

    Stay Zesty! ~ Ange Palmer

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  • Thank you for fighting with me

      7 November 2025
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    The struggles I faced on the course were temporary, and they don’t come close to the daily challenges faced by those living with ME/CFS. Their limited envelope of energy—something they must constantly manage to avoid episodes of extreme fatigue, as Zascha experienced all too often—was never far from my mind while I was out there. My battle lasted one day, but for many, the journey continues every day. I hope that the effort and support from the weekend will go some way toward helping those who need it most.

    To everyone who donated—whether you knew Zascha, know someone living with ME/CFS, or simply believed in me and the cause—thank you. Your generosity, encouragement, and belief mean more than I can express.

    Crossing the finish line was emotional enough, but seeing Ange’s message that the page had passed $3,000 in donations took it to another level entirely.

    Thank you for being so generous, for believing in me, and for giving life to the words Zascha left us with:

    “Do what you can to make the world a better place; it needs people to fight for it.”

    Thank you for fighting with me.

    Sam

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  • Mission Accomplised

      6 November 2025
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    At 6:00am on Sunday, 2nd November, I lined up with thousands of others on Auckland’s North Shore, ready to take on the Auckland Marathon. The crowd’s energy was electric as we crossed the start line and began along the waterfront before turning a corner and tackling the first of many hills. The route wound through Devonport and Takapuna before joining the motorway for the 1km climb up — and then down — the Auckland Harbour Bridge, rewarded with stunning harbour and city views.

    I hit the halfway mark (21.1km) around 2h 20m, then pushed on through the exposed coastal stretch toward the 31km turnaround. That’s where the real test began — the heat, fatigue, and cramping legs. I ran when I could, walked when I had to, and focused on the reason I was there: every donation, every person who believed in me, and the memory of my late friend.

    With 5km to go (“just a parkrun!”), I dug deep, increased my pace, and pushed through the pain. Cheered on by the crowd — and my wife running beside the barriers — I sprinted down the finishing chute, lungs burning, sides cramping, and crossed the line in 5 hours 31 minutes. Exhausted but proud, I’d achieved what I set out to do: complete my first marathon in honour of Zascha who’ll never be forgotten.

    Sam

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  • Less than 1 month to race day

      9 October 2025

    Less than one month to go. The training has been going on for the last 15 weeks so far and this weekend will be my longest training run before the event involving a 33km run.

    The donations are coming in and I am more determined than ever to see this through.

    We are on the edge of having shirts ready to show our support out on the course and hopefully get some questions from people so we can raise awareness while out and about.

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