For many athletes, racing at Challenge Wānaka is about testing limits in one of the most spectacular places in the world. For Teresa Noble, it’s something even deeper — a celebration of resilience, community, and discovering what’s possible after life throws an unexpected challenge your way.
A few years ago, Teresa was diagnosed with Crohn’s disease, an inflammatory bowel condition that turned her life upside down. It took five long years for doctors to reach the diagnosis, and the journey ultimately required major surgery. At just 36 years old, Teresa had part of both her small and large bowel removed. Recovery was tough, and like many people rebuilding their health after surgery, everyday things suddenly felt much harder. Fueling her body became a constant balancing act. Low iron levels mean regular infusions every 18 months, and she requires B12 injections every three months. With reduced absorption due to surgery, managing nutrition remains an ongoing challenge. But Teresa has learned something powerful along the way.
Sometimes the best approach is simply to keep moving forward — and laugh whenever you can.
Turning recovery into a challenge.
Rather than letting the diagnosis define her limits, Teresa decided to give herself a goal: run a marathon. At first, the idea felt daunting. After surgery she had lost 10 kilograms and was still rebuilding strength. But step by step, kilometre by kilometre, she discovered that endurance sport could become part of her recovery story.
What started with one marathon soon grew into many more. And then came an even bigger test — a backyard ultra, where Teresa ran over 100 kilometres. Each challenge built confidence. Each finish line proved that the body — and the mind — can be stronger than we think. Teresa’s journey of reinvention didn’t stop with endurance sport.
At 40, she made a bold life decision: she walked away from a management role and a higher salary to start again as a mature student, training to become a personal trainer and group fitness instructor. Today she owns and manages NRG Alexandra, where she inspires others to move, train and chase their own goals. Her gym community has become a huge part of her journey — the kind of support crew every endurance athlete dreams of. “They’ve been cheering me on every step of the way,” she says. Some of her members even travelled from Alexandra to be on the start line at Gallagher Insurance Challenge Wanaka Half, knowing just how much work she had put into the swim — the part of the race that pushed her furthest outside her comfort zone.
Living in Central Otago has its advantages for endurance athletes. The hills, lakes and open spaces create a natural training ground that makes preparation for big events both challenging and beautiful. But taking on Challenge Wanaka was still a leap outside Teresa’s comfort zone. Running? That she knows well. Cycling through the Central Otago landscape? Absolutely. But swimming — especially open water — remains the toughest part. And that’s exactly why the race appealed. Challenge Wānaka is known for pushing athletes beyond what they thought they could do. For Teresa, it represented the next step in her journey of saying “yes” to challenges.
What started as a personal challenge quickly turned into something even bigger. After her performance at Challenge Wanaka, Teresa has now officially qualified for the World Triathlon Multisport Championships. Not bad for someone who once wondered if she’d even be able to run a marathon again.
Reflecting on race weekend in Wānaka, Teresa summed it up simply:
“What an absolutely fabulous weekend. I’m so pleased with my result — I’m already looking to do another one.”
That’s the thing about endurance sport. One challenge often leads to another. And if Teresa’s journey tells us anything, it’s that the limits we imagine for ourselves are often just the beginning. With determination, community support, and a sense of humour along the way, there are always more adventures waiting just around the corner.
And for Teresa Noble, this is clearly only the start.
