40km a day for epileptic

Press, 26 February 1983, Page 6

40km a day for epileptic

A man who is walking the length of New Zealand, from Bluff to Cape Reinga, has reached Picton. Mr Graham Bruce, an epileptic, took eight days to walk from Christchurch to Picton, an average of 40km a day. He is four days ahead of schedule, as he did not expect to go so fast. “When I was training, I was really pressing to walk 32km a day, and now it is chickenfeed,” he said. He thought it was partly psychological. “When you discover you are doing so well, it tends to rub off on other things, and it keeps you going," he said. He also thought he was getting much fitter as time went on. The Christchurch to Picton walk was all easy going, with only one bad day, he said. One thing which, had upset

him was seeing a car accident near the Clarence River. "The car missed the bend and went straight into the water," said Mr Bruce. “It was horrible — right in front of my eyes." Other motorists following the vehicle were first to the scene of the accident, and so Mr Bruce kept well away. He is doing the walk to make people aware of the problems facing epileptics. He said he had had considerable interest and encouragement from people along the way. He had met other epilepsy sufferers, some of whom had driven a long distance to see him. A week’s rest is in store for Mr Bruce before he sets off from Wellington on March 5.