Adventurer takes on seven NZ great walks
26 Nov 2009
A world-first attempt to run New Zealand’s seven renowned ‘Great Walks’ in seven consecutive days begins on Sunday (29.11.09) when adventurer Malcolm Law steps out on an epic fundraising mission.
The ‘Mizone 7 in 7 Challenge’ covers 360km and is the equivalent of running nine off-road marathons, and climbing Mt Cook (New Zealand’s highest mountain) twice.
Malcolm Law, an Auckland market researcher, will be joined by support runners on each of the seven legs - all picturesque routes that cross both the North and South islands.
Personal mission
For Law, the '7 in 7 Challenge' is a personal mission to raise enough money to make a difference for patients and families living with blood-related illness.
Law’s older brother Alan died in 1969 of leukaemia. Before the run began, Law had already raised more than NZ$55,000 for the Leukaemia & Blood Foundation of NZ (LBF).
He says it is the opportunity of a lifetime to "make pain my friend."
The pain he will suffer during the extreme challenge is nothing in comparison to the pain his family went through with his brother’s sickness, said Law.
No mean feat
Law will be joined by 17 support runners who will each do part of the challenge. The 13 men and four women range in age from 23 to 64, and Law said some were old friends but others he had yet to meet.
"Some are experienced runners, some are not. They are all legends," he said.
The run will take competitors through iconic New Zealand landscapes, traversing the seven Great Walks - setting off from Lake Waikaremoana in the North Island, travelling through the Tongariro Northern Circuit before heading south to Abel Tasman and on to the Heaphy, Routeburn, Milford, and Kepler tracks.
As well as the daily challenge of running long distances every day, one after the other, Law has to endure the logistics of getting from one location to another as well as coping with sleep deprivation.
Vital support
The Leukaemia & Blood Foundation says it is overwhelmed by Law’s dedication to the cause and urged New Zealand to get behind the challenge.
"We are very humbled by Malcolm’s dedication and determination to raise awareness. With six children and adults diagnosed each day with leukaemia or a related blood condition, that support has never been more vital," LBF executive director Pru Etcheverry said.
The 7 in 7 Challenge schedule:
- Day 1: 29 Nov - Lake Waikaremoana Great Walk (42.7km)
- Day 2: 30 Nov - Tongariro Northern Circuit (41km)
- Day 3: 1 Dec - Abel Tasman Coast Track (51.9km)
- Day 4: 2 Dec - Heaphy Track (78.4km)
- Day 5: 3 Dec - Routeburn Track (32.1km)
- Day 6: 4 Dec - Milford Track (53.5km)
- Day 7: 5 Dec - The Kepler Challenge (60.1km, competing)
Total distance covered will by 359.7km.
More information:
Mizone 7 in 7 Challenge website
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