It's going to hurt!

We’re closing in fast on our $50,000 fundraising target – currently the pot stands at just over $47,500! But there’s always new ways of generating funds, and here’s another…. I have recently been given 2 great gifts to auction off. These are now listed on Trademe. They are a genuine Breakers basketball singlet autographed by the team http://www.trademe.co.nz/Browse/Listing.aspx?id=254134675 and a weekend escape in Te Anau for two people featuring luxury lodge, awesome day trip and restaurant meal for two http://www.trademe.co.nz/Browse/Listing.aspx?id=254194930. Check them out and maybe make a bid – all proceeds to Leulaemia & Blood Foundation of course.

The Legend - Garth Barfoot on Te Henga track

Just two weeks to go before the 7in7 starts with a 43km run around the beautiful Lake Waikaremoana. Time to start tapering I think, but first there was the little matter of helping out my good friends at Total Sport by being tail-end charlie on the last 30+ kms of the West Coaster marathon yesterday. This has to be one of the most stupendous off-road marathons in the world, let alone in NZ. It has everything – black sand beaches, gnarly bush tracks, sand dunes, clifftop running and endless rough stream crossings in the Goldies Bush section. It’s a tough course, and to prove this the winning time posted by James Keugler (who two weeks before ran a 2hr 35 road marathon) was 4hrs 50 mins. He won by an amazing 40 mins and only 5 other runners got around in less than 6 hours. I had the honour of running alongside local legend Garth Barfoot, who at 74 is still competing in Ironman distance races, and he still mananges a sprint finish over the final 20 metres. It was great to be out there in relaxed, rather than racing, mode…. taking photos, encouraging the runners and picking up course signage as I swept up behind the field.

I also used this run as an opportunity to further test the SPOT satellite messaging unit that I am planning to take with me on 7in7. Early trials were not as sussessful as hoped, but this turns out to be due to operator error rather than gadget error. Put another way, I have now figured out how to use the thing properly! It’s only limitation is when in bush, as it neeeds a clear view of the sky to communicate with satellites. But this aside it will enable me to display my position on a Google Earth map every 10 minutes during the Challenge. The web site that provides the link to this fantastic tracking capability will be posted on this site shortly before we set off. Many thanks to SALCOM of Christchurch for loaning me the unit.

Earlier this week I found myself in the unfamiliar environs of the recording studio, laying down my dulcet (?) tones to record a series of ads for the 7in7. This opportunity came about thanks to the big-hearted team at 106.2 Big FM who have donated over a hundred 30 sec ad spots for us to use. These ads will play over a 10 day period, starting just before 7in7 kicks off and playing right through the week of the Challenge. Radio can be a very powerful medium for fundraising, so having an hour of air time should prove to be a fantastic boost to the cause. Thanks Cathy, Paul and all the team at Big FM for their wonderful support.