After losing half his weight John is ready for the full marathon
Published 5th April 2023
After losing more than 70kg in weight John Apperley is literally half the man he used to be and he is targeting the Rotorua Marathon on Sunday 6 May in the next phase of his wellness journey.
The 61-year-old teacher from Levin at his heaviest weighed 148kg but after undergoing a huge health scare in 2019 prompted a radical change in lifestyle.
“The scare involved trucks with flashing lights and a long stay in hospital,” explains John. “Watching the impact this had on my family was motivation to say enough is enough. I Immediately stopped drinking – I have been 100 percent teetotal ever since. I worked hard on diet and also explored other options for losing weight.”
John Apperley (left) after his weight loss
John managed to reduce his weight to 109kg with better diet and exercise. To further aid his running journey he underwent bariatric surgery. Post-surgery his weight nosedived to 77kg and after joining Te Ha o te Uru has inspired him to focus on his fitness regime.
John Apperley prior to his weight loss
“I thought Te Ha o te Uru it was a training group but is really more like whanau, who along with my wife have inspired me and helped me on my journey. I managed my first half marathon early last year then spent the rest of last year training to do the 90k bike for Iron Maori which I achieved.
“Flush with the success of completing my 90k bike, I started joking with my wife that maybe together we could do a marathon. At some point, this moved from being a joke to maybe we could and then on to let's do this.”
Entered in the marathon walk, John has picked up a training plan which involves shorter walk of between 6-10km, medium length walks – which included the Wellington Round The Bays Half Marathon – and longer walks of up to 33km. Interspersed with biking he is in good physical shape and competing with his wife aiming for an average of nine minutes 45 seconds per kilometre with their two families of kids and Te Ha in support at the finish line.
John has undergone a transformational journey which has benefited both him and his family and he adds: “I do have a quiet sense of achievement when I look at how far I have come over the last few years. My overarching feeling however is gratitude to my wife and all of the people and organisations who have contributed so much support. I genuinely couldn’t have done it without them.”
John Apperley (right)