Runners pay tribute to attack victims
A Taranaki couple who run ultramarathons are putting their best foot forward to commemorate the victims of the 2019 Christchurch mosque massacre.
Kyron Gosse came up with the idea for The Unity Ultra, a 51-mile (82km) course to honour the 51 people killed in the March 15 shootings, after losing his aunty, Linda Armstrong, in the attack.
Gosse tried to contact her immediately after hearing about the Friday shooting, but when he hadn’t heard from her by Sunday he was devastated to find her name in a news article detailing the deceased.
‘‘It was utter grief and I started crying uncontrollably.’’
Inspired by the togetherness and unity shown by the Christchurch and New Zealand community following the massacre, Gosse wanted to bring together a small group of athletes to stage a fundraising campaign for the NZ Red Cross’
Refugee Resettlement programme. To achieve his goal Gosse enlisted the help of Taranaki’s extraordinary endurance athlete Lisa Tamati, who designed a training programme specifically for the Canterbury course.
While Tamati, who has run the equivalent of three times around the world through some of the hottest, highest and harshest environments, is not taking part in the event, her husband, Haisley O’Leary, is.
O’Leary, a career firefighter with the New Plymouth brigade, has taken part in ultramarathons over the last six years.
‘‘It’s really good to be able to use my ability as a runner to give something back to the community,’’ he said.
Tamati said she immediately agreed to be involved.
‘‘I’m pretty much up for anything that will help people.
‘‘As runners this is what we do. We just try to mix our passion with doing something good for the world. This was an awful event in New Zealand’s history and we’d like to see something positive come out of it.’’
While so far there had been limited entrants, Tamati hoped the event would become an annual one.
While the route was stunning it had more than 2500m of elevation so O’Leary said he’s been doing a lot of hill training.
The start line for the March 20 event is on the waterfront just outside Onuku Marae, Akaroa, and the run hugs the coast, crosses valleys, culminates with an ascent of Port Hills overlooking Christchurch and finishes at Hagley Park.
Donations can be made at theunityultraforredcross.everydayhero. com/nz/haisleyj-unity-ultra-challenge