Mike McRoberts: A Journey of Passion, Perseverance, and Trail Running

When news anchor and marathon enthusiast Mike McRoberts faced a severe knee injury, he feared his running days were behind him. However, he’s not only back on track but has also found a new passion in trail running.

How do you choose to move?

Running is my go-to exercise. I was training for the Tarawera Ultra, but like many other events, it was cancelled due to the Omicron outbreak and the country’s red traffic light restrictions.

A decade ago, I started running long distances to help my blind friend, Mike Lloyd, prepare for the New York Marathon. I ended up running with him that year, and we went on to complete the New York Marathon three more times. It’s an incredible event with 50,000 competitors and millions of spectators cheering us on.

In addition to guiding Mike, I began running marathons for myself. So far, I’ve completed 15 marathons and a similar number of half marathons. A couple of years ago, I suffered a debilitating knee injury and thought my running days were over. But I’m thrilled to say I’m back into it, although I’ve shifted my focus from marathons to trail running, which I absolutely love.

What other exercises do you enjoy?

When I injured my knee, I knew I had to find other ways to stay active, so I started cycling and swimming more. I’ve always found having events to train for highly motivational. I’ve enjoyed competing in ocean swims and classic cycling events like the Lake Taupo Cycle Challenge and Le Race in Christchurch.

One of the toughest physical challenges I’ve ever faced was being a contestant on Dancing with the Stars. The constant training and combination of mental and physical challenges made it particularly brutal, but it was so much fun!

How do you fit in exercise with work and family?

I’m fortunate that my news schedule usually allows me to have my mornings free. This gives me plenty of time to run or do weight training. It’s crucial for me to have that balance, as my work is quite sedentary. Staying active helps me feel healthy, fit, and mentally alert.

My partner Heidi is relatively new to running, but we enjoyed training together for Tarawera. At the start of this year, we set ourselves a little challenge – running every day for a month, which I’ve never done before. We’ve seen dramatic improvements over that time and are still going strong. Can we do two months? Maybe even a year?

Were you an active child?

I have two brothers close in age, and we spent our entire childhood competing against each other or the neighbors. From backyard cricket to rugby, tennis, softball, cycling, basketball, soccer – we even set up our own mini-Olympics, competing for medals made out of milk bottle tops! We all played rugby at a fairly high level and did well in athletics and softball in the summer.

Both of my brothers remain active and have also taken on administration roles in various sporting clubs. I’m proud to say they’ve passed on that love of sport to their kids, and we have a very active whānau.

What’s the main reason you think it’s important to stay active?

For me, staying active is all about quality of life, now and in the future. Feeling fit and healthy, both physically and mentally, is essential. I turned 56 in March, and I’d love to think that in 10 or 20 years, I can still be as active as I am now.

What fitness advice would you have for others?

I think it was the great Kiwi running coach Arthur Lydiard who once said, “The hardest thing about training is pulling on the shorts,” which is so true. Often, it’s the mental switch you need to flick to begin your physical journey.

Make being active part of your daily routine. Whether it’s running, walking, cycling, or whatever, if you can set aside a certain amount of time to be active, it will quickly become a habit. And don’t worry about the times you’re running or the distances; it’s all about consistency. Keep doing it, and your times and distances will follow.