We'll get there, whatever it takes…
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 last long training run
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. [...]
Big thanks to Big FM
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 [...]
Which one would you run?
Just for a bit of fun I have set up a new poll, asking the question “which of the 7 Great Walks would YOU most like to run?”…. and the option of “none” HAS been included! Check it out at http://7in7.org.nz/polls/
What a day!
From dawn to dusk it’s been a manic day here at 7in7 HQ. Media interviews, filming at the gym, logistics meetings and even a run back to the gym for my weekly massage. Then came a double wammy of great news… In yesterday’s blog I mentioned Dock Bay Lodge, Te Anau had made a very [...]
Ultreya!
Yet again I have been humbled by the kind thoughts of strangers. Over the past few days I’ve had a flood of supportive emails from people previously unknown to me. Two more came today…. one from Friend of the Challenge Lay Lin who signed off with a hearty “Ultreya! Malcolm”, which in medieval Spanish apparently means [...]
The Final Push: Day 4
If ever I needed reminding that completing the 7in7 will be 80% mental and 20% physical, then today provided the reminder. I did NOT want to get out of bed at 7a.m. and I did NOT want to head out into the stiff, cold south-westerly squalls that were flinging rain almost horizontally across the front [...]
The Final Push: Day 3
What do Mule Bars, Vegemite sandwiches, Peanut Butter & Honey sandwiches, biscotti, liquorice sticks, squashed fly biscuits, jet planes, rice crackers, ginger oat cakes, macadamia nuts, cashew nuts, almonds, dates, crystalised ginger and bananas all have in common? Answer… they’ve all been sloshing around together in my stomach during our epic 6 ½ hr run [...]
The Final Push – Day 2
I’d better hope that my organisational skills improve within the next 3 weeks. I was being joined by 4 other runners today (Greg & Paul, both 7in7′ers) and Maegan and Pete (Guest Stars). I told half of them we would start at 8am and the other half that we’d start at 9am – hmmm, this [...]
The Final Push – Day 1
We’re really getting down to the sharp end of things now, and to finish off my training in style I’ve planned 4 long days back to back, based out at my beloved Karekare. I drove out early this morning, laden down with high-carbo foods and protein-rich recovery nosh, in a state of high excitement. Following [...]
My Number 1 Supporter
She won’t necessarily thank me for it, but I thought it was time I publicly recognised the support and tolerance of my amazing wife Sally. Back in December last year Sal gave me a copy of Dean Karnaze’s 50 marathons in 50 days book, with a note attached saying “For Information Only – don’t get any [...]
Landslide victory for common sense
Thanks to everyone who gave their opinion via the recent poll that I ran on this site. I was rather taken aback by the comments of one “bockett” on my Yahoo!Xtra blog about running the Heaphy track… “Not more runners infesting the iconic walks of NZ….. How can you appreciate the beautiful scenery when you’re [...]
Own a classic, help the cause
Fancy owning a classic piece of multisport memorabilia? The Coast to Coast is of course THE iconic race and THE number plate of choice for any multisporter would have to be “C TO C”. For many years this number plate has been the property of multisport guru Neil Gellatly. But now it could be yours, [...]
Real New Zealand, Real Gentleman
Quite some time ago a generous donation came in from a Mr. Iwao Fuji, along with a request for more information about “this man Mal”. This was the first of several email exchanges during which I found out that Fuji (“call me that, it’s easier to remember”) runs a small tourism business out of Nelson [...]
Bush dog
Just testing. I can post blogs from my iPhone. Cool! And as this is the only photo I have on here at the moment I thought I’d introduce you all to Luca, Bush Dog Extraordinaire and apple of my wife’s eye!
Wanted: Running food ideas!
I have tried a lot of different running foods over the years – some with great success, others that ended up as catastrophic failures. But I’m always keen to find new foods to break the monotony of the tried and true. I have just a week left before I draw up the final shopping list [...]
7in7 – The Movie
Absolutely brilliant news, hot off the press…. we’re going to film the entire 7in7 experience and make a documentary film! This is largely thanks to Paul & Olivia at Consortium who have pulled this all together at the 11th hour – thanks guys. It also means that we have a new member of the 7in7 travelling [...]
Sad but Inspiring
My own brush with leukaemia started 40 years ago with the death of my brother Alan. Over the intervening years I have of course encountered many more people whose lives have been broadsided by the illness. But since starting my 7in7 crusade in January this year I have met so many more affected people and [...]
Yahoo! We're Top of the Blogs
Great news from our sponsor Yahoo!Xtra today…. the ‘Tales from the 7in7 Challenge’ is now the most read Travel Blog on their website. This is not only good for my ego (I know, I keep it well hidden but there is one!) but great for the cause as each time one of these blogs is [...]
The love affair continues
For many years now we have owned a wonderful bach high in the hills overlooking Karekare Beach. This is a place that I find deeply spiritual and one that always relaxes me and soothes my soul. For the past 18 months it has been rented out, so we have not had a single night here, [...]
A night with me?
Don’t worry, this isn’t some horrific gothic nightmare come to haunt you. Nor is it my attempt to become a gigolo! It is simply an invite to a fun evening at Manukau Canoe & Kayak, 710 Great South Rd, Manukau on Tues Nov 3rd, starting at 6.30pm. The idea is that I give a short [...]
Infamy, infamy, they've all got it in for me!
Ever wished you hadn’t got out of bed in the morning? I don’t have many days like that but today was one! Things are getting pretty hectic here at 7in7 HQ and if ever there was a bad time for my laptop to pack a saddy and have to be shipped off to the computer [...]
Fuel for Adventure; Fuel for Charity
I’ve been blessed with a bunch of fantastic sponsors who have helped the 7in7 in numerous ways. One of these good guys is Tim from Mule Bars NZ. Not only has Tim taken a keen interest in The Challenge, and kept me fuelled with his awesome bars, but he is donating 2% of all online [...]
Running again!
Yeeha, after a week off I’ve been given the all-clear from physio Tim to start running again. I was more excited than a kid at Christmas when he told me this and wasted no time in getting out for a half hour jog around the local park. For the next week I’ll be limited to [...]
