Ultra marathon runner Ed Shuttleworth in training for the ultimate challenge. <em>Photo: Todd Starr.</em>
Try telling Ed Shuttleworth that tackling a marathon is a hard slog.
The Sport Tasman chief executive is preparing to run five of them back-to-back within two days to raise money for Nelson Tasman Hospice.
Do the math and his “210 Reasons to Run” covers 210 kilometres, or five marathons - 50kms more than Ed has ever managed before.
The significance of 210 is the number of patients the hospice sees every month from right across the region.
“I was mentally and physically broken when I competed up to 160kms, but the four months of training for the 210 has gone well,” confirms Ed, as he eases his mileage ahead of this Saturday’s early start.
He will set off from Farewell Spit at 3am.
Fortunately, the 45-year-old likes running in the dark with a headlight. The opening leg of 50km to Tākaka is the only stretch on the main road, and Ed aims to reach the hospice shop there at 9.30am for a sausage sizzle, to connect with the public and urge them to sponsor a kilometre for $210.
“I will be probably taking one of those sausages with me as I head for the Rameka Track on the Tākaka Hill,” says Ed, who has outstanding ultra marathon runner Louis Schindler among his support crew.
As well as road and trail running shoes, Ed will be packing a bigger third pair in case his feet swell up.
After knocking off the hill, he will hang a right at Riwaka and detour through Tapawera before another stop at the Wakefield Health Centre on his way to the finish line at the Nelson Tasman Hospice in Stoke.
Ed used to be an investment banker so he is good with figures, and reckons his 210kms will take between 40 and 45 hours.
And if you see him lying near the side of the road along the route, don’t worry, as he’s probably catching a quick rest as he is not planning a proper sleep.
“Runners call it a dirt nap, where you take a break for two or three minutes,” explains the Londoner.
He has worked out that 100kms of his haul will be along the Great Taste Trail.
You can follow his progress on live tracker and he’s encouraging the public to join him on the final 2kms to the finish line late on Sunday night.
Also good timing is Nelson Anniversary Day falling on Monday, so Ed can rest and recover.
His “210 Reasons to Run” has already received more than $36,000 in pledges.
Of course, the target is $210,000!
And Ed has revealed his trek is actually 211kms. “That extra kilometre is like a bonus lap,” he concludes.