MEDIA RELEASE
1 September 2010
World First Accomplished: New Attempt Revealed
In 2009, Malcolm Law was the first person ever to run New Zealand’s 7 Great Walks in 7 consecutive days. Malcolm has
today announced the 7in7 Challenge 2010, another epic 7-day fundraising running adventure from 28 November to 4 December
in New Zealand’s South Island with some very special support runners.
The challenge Mal has set is even tougher than the 2009 event. While the distance involved totals a gruelling 360kms,
the terrain is notably more hard-hitting. To keep things interesting, the ultra-distance run includes 10,000 metres of
vertical ascent during the week, or the equivalent of running almost 9 off-road marathons and climbing Auckland’s Sky
Tower 53 times!
“It took me a while to come up with something new that could compare with the 7 Great Walks concept but there is no
doubt that the 7in7 Challenge 2010 is a worthy successor. A week spent running in the Southern Lakes area, encompassing
Mount Aspiring and Fiordland National Parks, is going to be an amazing experience,” says Mal.
In 2009 Mal and his support runners raised more than $85,000 for the Leukaemia & Blood Foundation (LBF) – a charity he chose to support in memory of his only brother who passed away from leukaemia in
his youth.
This year, he aims to raise $150,000 for the LBF, but to do so he will need the help of people who are up for a
challenge and willing to help the fundraising effort. The idea, Mal explains, is to “involve lots of people each of whom
will run anything from 10kms to all 360kms.”
“We are absolutely thrilled that several special kiwis have decided to join us in our quest to raise funds for, and
generate awareness of, LBF through the 7in7. Marc Ellis is running the half marathon on day one in Wanaka and Coast to
Coast Champion Richard Ussher is running with me on day two,” says Mal.
“It is hard not to get inspired by the cause and the people involved. It would be both a fantastic and fitting result if
Malcolm and his team were able to raise their target of $150k for the Leukaemia and Blood Foundation,” enthusiastically
explains Marc Ellis.
ends