The Routeburn Track was everything I'd hoped for and more. Three days of sunshine, rainbows at the waterfalls, incredible wildlife, and that particular kind of tired that only comes from a long day on your feet in the mountains. It also meant more to me than just a stunning walk. Three and a half years ago I had a SCAD, a spontaneous coronary artery dissection, and getting back to a multi-day hike with real elevation has been a goal I've been working toward ever since.

A SCAD occurs when the inner lining of an artery develops a split, blood pools, and a haematoma forms, causing a heart attack. It accounts for around 1-4% of all heart attacks and disproportionately affects women who are fit, healthy, and have no prior evidence of cardiac disease. That described me exactly. No warning signs, no risk factors, just an ordinary night’s sleep that became something else entirely.

While the event itself can be impactful, you have medical experts and community to support you. The piece that isn’t discussed though is the forced identity shift.

I'm someone who feels most like myself when I'm in a forest, or moving through the mountains, seeking out new places, carrying a pack, soaking up the sights. All of that changed overnight and no clear path to it coming back.

The cardiac advice is appropriately conservative: increased arterial wall pressure raises the risk of recurrence, so the instruction is to keep effort low, rest, and work through a significant pharmaceutical protocol while the heart heals. That is the right approach. But no one tells you what it's like to lose the things that make you who you are. The hardest part wasn't the incident itself actually, it was the following months and years - who am I, if I can't do the things I love?

I worked with cardiac rehab folks, and a series of cardiologists over the years. You move through the acute phase, and then, because SCAD is still not well understood globally, you're largely left to your own devices beyond an annual check-in. Late last year I saw a third cardiologist: a young doctor, clearly deeply invested in his field, who approached my case with new insight, and that conversation changed things. He helped me understand that restricted blood flow from the original event had caused some damage to the lower part of my heart, and heard me when I said that the medication I was on wasn't serving me well. I made a considered decision to move away from the traditional cardiac medication and onto something that specifically supports low-grade heart failure. The difference has been real: better breathing, more energy, and the ability to exercise in ways I hadn't been able to manage for years – cue the hill climbs!

Last year, when the Great Walk season opened, I booked the Routeburn Track. I chose it deliberately as it's one of the most spectacular walks in the country, it's 33 kilometres with good elevation but nothing extreme, and it felt like exactly the right scale of goal. Meaningful, achievable, and a genuine return to something I wasn't sure I'd get back.

Last weekend was when it was booked for, and it coincided with the Super Round at the opening of One New Zealand Stadium at Te Kaha which was announced after this was all locked in.  I've had the privilege of serving on the Crusaders board for the past three years, and as a lifelong rugby fan, being part of the organisation through the move to a new venue has been genuinely special. Missing the opening weekend was a hard call, but the right one for me.

The Super Round looked incredible and the team behind it, especially the hard working crew at the Crusaders deserve a tonne of credit and all of us in Waitaha should be proud.  I'm genuinely excited to be in that environment over the weeks ahead as we host several home games, and can’t wait to watch Mātatu play there on 13 June, which will be epic!

The Routeburn delivered on every count -  three days of sunshine on a South Island alpine track on the last weekend of the season is a real gift! Lots of wildlife encounters - kea, korimako, piwakawaka, kakaruai, and titipounamu, and kahukura (meaning "red cloak) – the native NZ red admiral butterly, stunning views at every turn, and rainbow lit waterfalls. Seriously, this track is something else!

 Lake MacKenzie MediumKEA MediumRed Admiral Medium

And as anyone who tramps knows, it's the people who really make a trip. I went with my cousin and her friend, who were wonderful company with great food, great stories, and a lot of laughter. We also met two brilliant women from the North Island who brought real energy and humour to the group, and I'm grateful for all of them. There was something reassuring about being in the company of experienced, capable people, and knowing that between the group and my personal locator beacon just incase, I was well looked after.

This all lands at a meaningful time ❤️ May is Heart Awareness Month in New Zealand, and I'm committed to supporting it. I donate regularly to the Heart Foundation as I lost my Dad to heart disease, he had a fatal heart attack at just 55. Cardiac disease remains the leading cause of death for New Zealanders.

This May, I've rallied a group of friends and family to take on the Heart Foundation's challenge of clocking up 42 kilometres over the month. My personal goal is 100 kilometres.

If you have a dollar to spare and want to support the Heart Foundation, I would be genuinely grateful.

You can donate here >  https://www.mymarathon.co.nz/fundraisers/melissadavies/mymarathon-2026

 

 

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