I now reside in Evansville, Indiana, USA. People here ask me all the time “How on earth does someone from New Zealand end up here?” My answer is “It is a LONG story!”.
I began traveling at the age of 17 when I first represented New Zealand at the World Cross Country Championships in Belgium in 1973. By the age of 24 I had traveled extensively in Europe in other New Zealand teams for track and cross-country.
However, negative experiences with the New Zealand Athletic Administration, international politics, the amateur stature of the sport and personal issues resulted in me quitting completely in mid 1980.
I started over at the end of 1980 by joining my second coach, John Davies , and we decided I should leave New Zealand for the USA to take my chances in the new world of road-racing and the longer distances now available to women runners. That decision changed my life forever and resulted in the accomplishments that got me inducted into two Hall of Fames in two nations. www.anneaudain.com
During the next 11 years I would always return to New Zealand for four months in summer to train and race through the track season. I would base myself on beautiful Waiheke Island where the scenery is stunning, the hills humble you but make you extremely strong. My success in the USA inspired many American runners to come to New Zealand too and John Davies began training some of them. They would rent cottages on Waiheke Island and apartments in Auckland during this time and take short trips around the country.
In 1981 I took a stand for professionalism in my sport by winning the first road race in the USA to present prize money. I immediately received a life time ban from the sport and was threatened with deportation as it was illegal to receive money on a visitor’s visa in the USA.
After 18 months the International Amateur Athletic Federation and the IOC agreed the sport of running could be professional. This stand by myself and others changed the Olympic Games and the sport of track and field and road-racing forever.
During the 11 years of competing on the USA circuit, I used the platform of my compelling life story to inspire health, fitness, self-esteem and empowerment through sport. I would speak in schools, clubs, community organizations, at events and corporations. Of course I always promoted New Zealand. The kids in particular love hearing about our “summer” Christmas’ and that we are named after a fuzzy brown bird and not a fuzzy brown fruit!
On retiring in 1992 I founded an event for women and children around the same platform as my speeches. It is now the largest 5K event for women in the USA . www.celebrateall.org.
I continue to speak around the USA, consult on other events and am on the Board of Directors of the leading road-racing industry organization, Running USA.
I am politically involved as I am now a USA citizen. I proudly state that the citizenship did not happen due to my marriage to an American but was through the legal immigration process prior to it.
I have spoken at immigration induction ceremonies to the new immigrants telling them about the responsibility they have to make a difference in their new country.
I am on community boards in Evansville, have been nominated for President Obama’s Council on Physical Fitness ( not chosen yet) and am working with others on an initiative called “Discover Running” to support PE in schools and fitness in general for children to combat the obesity epidemic here.
So sport took me away from New Zealand but the accomplishments that resulted gave me a platform to positively influence and inspire . I wish I could spread myself around more and that New Zealand wasn’t so far away but this is where life took me!
I return to New Zealand yearly, still have family and property there, and my husband and I hope to spend the USA winter months in the New Zealand summer when retired.
I have influenced many folks to visit New Zealand. Every time I arrive at Auckland Airport I gather up a pile of the “Arrival” magazines to use as propaganda and have helped many plan their Kiwi travel schedule.
So “Pass It On NZ” is a great project. I encourage all to jump on board!
Tags: athlete, champion athlete, New Zealand athlete, pioneer, women's sport
4 Responses to “Positively Impacting the World as a Runner”
I was personally fortunate to meet Annie who inspired me with her always positive attitude for life in general. I am not a runner, but have benefited from her enthusiasm and love of life. We both came together in a particularly hard time in our lives on a parallel personal path and I found a dear friend for life. Annie is more than a runner, more than a health enthusiast, more than just someone who inspires others. She is a warm, sincere friend who’s vulnerability shows in her deep brown eyes and I am proud to call her my friend. I am certainly glad she arrived on our shores and continues to make a difference!
Truly inspiring story Anne, thanks for sharing. Do you happen to have a blog or website which fellow aspiring runners/athletes can follow?
anne, i am still in new orleans. we haven’t seen each other since you came to n.o.. bruce & carol palmer were here then.
G’day Anne,
very inspiring. I am in Vancouver and have been in Canada now for 19 years from NZ.
We are just setting up a new KEA branch in Vancouver.
I would like to speak with you about your running experiences and where running is in your life today if that is OK?
Cheers,
Nick Robinson