About Fee

Taking a risk can often be one of the most challenging things in any career, sport in particular, however as Fee is discovering, the decision to make marathon running her sole focus after a successful career as a world-class triathlete, is proving to be one holding no regrets.

Leaping to London!

As the miles continue to accumulate in the legs, and the race results bring renewed confidence, Fee Docherty's quest to run for NZ at the 2012 London Olympics is now a vivid and realistic goal serving to motivate and inspire her every day.

Following a very gutsy effort at the 2008 World Ironman Championships in Hawaii, Fee decided to chase what has always been her number one passion: running. She put away the chlorinated bathers and cap, and packed up her bike and helmet in pursuit of a World Championship qualifying time in the marathon. May 2009 saw her achieve this time at the Ottawa marathon in Canada, where Fee ran an impressive 2:42 on debut. This satisfied the New Zealand selectors and so off she went to Berlin, Germany to keep in the World Championships.

In a tough race under trying conditions, Fee lowered her personal best to 2:40 and placed 40th. She was hooked, and the bug had well and truly bitten. Next on the agenda, a big city marathon as a possible qualifier for the 2010 Commonwealth Games or an American big city race.

Fee trained incredibly hard, displaying her inspirational discipline throughout a harsh American Winter over 2009/2010 in Boulder, Colorado. By April, she was in shape and flew to London where she further bettered her marathon time running 2:37:51. Certainly a world class time, but unfortunately just shy of the Commonwealth Games qualifying time. Never one to dwell on disappointments, Fee threw herself into more training. She made the necessary sacrifices, endured the highs and the lows, made tough decisions yet never lost sight of her goal to run a competitive and world class time at the 2010 Chicago Marathon.

10/10/10 rolled around and Fee could not have been in better shape. Her lead-in races told the story: 2010 was going to be a breakthrough year. Personal best times in an elite 5km and 10km race were only the beginning. An impressive 2nd place at Virginia Beach in the Half Marathon was the perfect lead in race to her marathon.

On a warm Chicago morning, Fee ran with strength from the gun. She ran a consistent race, and a smart race. In a classy field, where all athletes were out to run fast, Fee managed a phenomenal 11th place. This performance, in a race like the prestigious Chicago marathon, cemented Fee's status as a world-class marathoner and a genuine chance at making the Olympic Games.

For now, Fee is back to her strict training regime. Her next big goal is the 2011 London Marathon in April where she hopes to qualify for the 2012 Olympics, as early in the qualifying period as possible. The future looks bright. Now more so than ever in her 18 year career as a professional athlete, Fee is motivated and determined to achieve this lifelong goal of representing the SilverFern.