Three marathons in three days
A Waikato woman will be reaching her peak fitness the hard way next year.
A young Hamilton woman will run three marathons over three days in support of the Mental Health Foundation next year.
Emma Dryland, 22, will join Kiwi adventurer Mal Law as he plans to climb 50 peaks in New Zealand, each one covering the distance of a marathon.
Law will cover the distance of 50 marathons over 50 days and on the last three days Dryland will join him as a support runner in the High Five-O Challenge.
Dryland will run the last three peaks of the challenge, Maungatautari, Pirongia, and Rangitoto, and cover more than 130kms at the event early next year.
Originally from the Waikato and now studying to be a dietician in Auckland, each of the mountains has meaning for Dryland.
Law’s goal is to raise $250,000 for NZ Mental Health Foundation and each support runner is asked to raise $400 per peak they climb.
Dryland runs mainly for enjoyment but completed her first half marathon in 2011. This year she has already run three ultra marathons, including the Hillary trail, an 80km race in the Waitakere Ranges.
“This will be my first time that my running is not just about me. I will be raising funds for a charity,” Drylandsaid .
Supporting mental health awareness is important for Dryland. “The thing is it is common, there is no advantage in not talking about it. So I am going to make some noise.”
Dryland will be training and fundraising alongside Maddy Boyd, 20, who she met at The Dual, a trail event on Mototapu and Rangitoto islands earlier this year.
Boyd is a computer systems engineering student at the University of Auckland. She is looking forward to showing support for family and friends who have had mental health issues.
“I want to be able to reach out to them and let them know that I support them the best way I can, through running,” Boyd said.
Although running 50 marathons back-to-back will be a challenge, Dryland believes Law will be able to do it. “I think that he has the determination, support and motivation to carry him across the finish line,” she said.
“One of the many great things about running is the community. It’s very encouraging and the people you meet are inspirational,” Dryland said.
The High Five-O challenge begins at One Tree Hill in Auckland on January 31.
