Actor’s marathon run going international
Ex-Shortland Street star Will Hall’s mission to complete four half marathons while aged 40 for charity is set to take him to New Caledonia.
Hall — who recently turned 40 — will line up in the 21km event at the New Caledonia International Marathon in Noumea on August 25.
Spurred by his 5-year-old niece Sophie’s battle with Type 1 diabetes, the Kiwi actor — also well known for his roles in Nothing Trivial and Westside — is on a drive to raise awareness and funds for CureKids.
And after battling single-digit temperatures and rain in his debut effort in Christchurch in early June, he is now on a mission to get race fit for temperatures in the mid-20s and 80 per cent humidity which await in New Caledonia.
“The Christchurch event was blimming cold . . . so I’ll be looking forward to running a race in warmer conditions. It will be the total opposite to what I ran in in Christchurch,” Hall said.
“I have been chucking a jacket on while training in the build-up, instead of a cotton singlet, in a bid to try and recreate New Caledonia.”
Hall set out on his mission to raise $4444.40. To date he has raised more than $1200.
He also wants to raise national awareness for Freestyle Libre devices which show insulin levels at a glance without the need for finger prick tests.
The devices, which his niece has, measure insulin levels via an ultrafine needle under the skin on the arm. All that is visible is a $2 coinsized port that is scanned whenever the needle needs to be checked.
The devices are not funded and cost about $130 a fortnight. Pharmac has confirmed it got an application for it to be funded in February and is assessing the product.
Hall said his Christchurch-based niece was proud of his efforts.
“Sophie is ecstatic and stoked [to see what I am doing],” Hall said.
“It was pretty cool to do that first run in Christchurch, and she thought it was great that Uncle Will was running for her.”
New Caledonia Tourism officials invited Hall to run in Noumea after he talked to them about his mission while in Christchurch. The tourism body had offered prizes to winners of the Christchurch Marathon events.
Hall had previously travelled to the South Pacific country with survivors of the Christchurch earthquake who were suffered from post-traumatic stress disorder.
“I am going to be travelling over with these winners . . . so there will be all of these hardcore athletes and poor old Will Hall doing his bit.”
When asked for the best thing he had learned during his mid-life entry into long-distance running, Hall said: “Anything is possible.
“The greatest benefit I have had is the natural endorphins from fitness . . . the clarity you can get going for a run that you don’t get while sitting at a desk, changing your kids’ nappies or reading scripts.”
Sophie is ecstatic . . . she thought it was great that Uncle Will was running for her.
Will Hall actor and runner