210 reasons to run

Ed Shuttleworth is about to become a man on the run. The CEO of Sport Tasman has dedicated himself to an incredible challenge: in February, he will run 210km non-stop from Farewell Spit to Nelson Tasman Hospice in Stoke to raise money for their cause. Running for an estimated 45 hours through the midsummer heat is inconceivable to most people, but a conversation with Ed somehow makes it sound not only well-reasoned and admirable but possibly even inevitable for this remarkable individual.

Words: Alistair Hughes | Photos: Todd Starr

Born in London, Ed originally worked in investment banking before moving into a field which he felt even more passionate about: sports administration.

“My motivation was ensuring that no child misses out on the benefits of sport and physical activity,” he says. “And it’s not just about a sport, but physical and mental health and community cohesion through it.”

Ed and his family moved to Nelson 13 years ago, where his involvement with cricket administration climbed from a regional, to national and eventually international level. He began his current role with Sport Tasman in 2023, further determined to address and remove barriers to young people’s participation in sport.

In recent years he has taken up long-distance running, although this does beg the question of how a busy CEO and family man manages to fit this demanding activity into his life.

“My general philosophy is, if you want something enough, you'll find time,” explains Ed. “However busy I feel, I still have some discretionary time, and it's about how I use it. I find if I'm tired, exercise helps. It doesn't compound. On the flip side of that, I'm also aware that I want to be present as a husband, a father, and as a CEO. There's a balance required.”

He recalls that the first two years of his running rarely took place without a head torch, as he ran at night after his young children were in bed.

This kind of dedication possibly makes Ed’s determination to pound across Golden Bay and Tasman at the beginning of February slightly easier to understand. He first conceived the idea shortly after he was nominated for something he finds even more daunting: competing in May’s NBS Dancing for a Cause.

“Before I said ‘yes’, I went along to the hospice and just listened to them. I sat in absolute awe at their staff, their dedication and their kaupapa,” recalls Ed. He was particularly struck by two things: the amount of money this essential free service requires to remain open each year, and the enormous number of people they help across our region. From Farewell Spit to Murchison to Rai Valley, Nelson Tasman Hospice care for 210 patients each month, and that got Ed thinking.

“As I sat in that room, it became very apparent to me that I really wanted to support them with my energy and time. I'm terrified to dance, but that's the least of anyone's problems. I want to raise as much money as I can for Nelson Tasman Hospice. So I set about planning how I could do something else to honour and tell their story in our community.”

Ed studied a map when he got home and began to calculate a route. Having taken up running seriously in the last five years to ultramarathon level (long-distance, continuous events which can extend across days), he saw that if he ran across Golden Bay from Farewell Spit, over Tākaka Hill, through Riwaka and Motueka (visiting medical centres along the way), and back to the Hospice, he could cover 210km, matching their monthly patient number.

“And so ‘210 Reasons to Run’ came into being. I will run through the region to showcase the width and scale of the geography that the hospice serves. It hasn't been done before and I will be running it solo, and then for the last 2.1 kilometres of the run, the community is invited to finish with me at the hospice.”

210 Reasons to Run has a dedicated website and Facebook page, which explain how to support Ed’s goal to raise $210,000. Donations can be any amount, and there is an option to sponsor a kilometre for $210, dedicated to a nominated loved one who was cared for by the hospice. Each sponsor taking this option will also feature in a book commemorating the run.

Ed is fully cognisant of the challenges he will face, particularly at the hottest part of the year.

“You really have to know why you're doing this. And there's no greater reason why for me than fundraising for our community. But there will be times where I'm exhausted, dehydrated and nauseous. I’ll probably experience foot problems, injuries, stomach issues, heat, sleep and motivation issues.”

Rather than being discouraged by this, Ed maintains that one of the things he loves most about running is the discipline of identifying potential complications and dealing with them effectively.

“If you leave an issue or don't address it correctly, just going on emotion, the outcome is likely to unravel. I really love that concept and find it very relatable to life.”

210 Reasons to Run will be 50km further than any distance Ed has covered before. He accepts that tasks like this can seem huge, but if a runner can stay present mentally, they are always capable of taking one more step.

In fact, it seems the psychological challenges of such a mammoth undertaking can be even more daunting than the rigours his body will endure. Fortunately, Ed has developed techniques to deal with this too.

“I will think: ‘Okay, I'm going to break this down into 10km segments’. As I get fatigued, it will drop to 5km segments, and then as I get more fatigued, it will get to 1km until eventually, it will be steps or breaths. Emotion and fear can stop achievement, so that's kind of a really big part for me – the discipline of mindfulness.”

This is apparently even harder to maintain when running throughout a long and lonely night with only a head torch to light a runner’s way. Ed admits he began hallucinating the last time he did this during an event.

“But I will have the benefit of long daylight hours in February, which really helps,” he says. “Although hydration in that heat will be essential, and so I'll really need to monitor that, especially with Tākaka Hill in the middle.”

All this surely puts any trepidation attached to his Dancing for a Cause participation a few months later into perspective?

“It’s not going to be pretty,” he laughs. “I am no dancer. My wife can't wait – she’s never seen me dance in her life. So that could be interesting.”

Ed has slight concerns that his physical recovery after the run might impact his dancing practice leading up to the event but has found, to his surprise, that he has thoroughly enjoyed his dance training sessions so far.

“I've actually absolutely loved it, learning a new skill. That's exactly what I want to be doing – things that challenge and develop me.”

Meeting what he has described as the most incredible group of dancers, fellow contestants, and the organising committee, who are all volunteers committed to raising money for the hospice, has further inspired him.

“For the first time ever, it's going to take place over two evenings, in front of two and a half thousand people each night, and that’s scary. But I will finish the evening saying I am a dancer, and I will enjoy it, and I will do my absolute best for the hospice.”

210 Reasons to Run will take place on 1-2 February, 2025
210-reasons-to-run.raiselysite.com

NBS Dancing for a Cause, 16 & 17 May, Trafalgar Centre