Five runners cover 575km in charity run to help children with leg deformities
FIVE RUNNERS COVERED 575KM TO HELP KIDS WITH LEG DEFORMITIES
The 7 Emirates Run had an emotional finish yesterday when they completed the 12-day ultra-marathon around the UAE to help children with leg deformities walk again.
The charity run across the emirates covered 575km — equivalent to the height of 694 Burj Khalifas stacked together.
Guinness World Record holder and 7 Emirates Run founder Wendelin Lauxen led the team of five runners namely James Constable, Clare Mullenger, Marlon Elauza, and Shaikh Mansour Ali. Scott Williams-Hall, however, had to drop out after running 450km following a muscle issue.
The team started running on November 21 in Abu Dhabi, covering 49km each day and sleeping in tents in the desert on some days. They concluded the run in Dubai yesterday for the 44th UAE National Day celebrations.
Tears and sweat
“It was an emotional moment. Tears poured when we saw our families greet us at the finish line,” Lauxen said. “Personally, the most challenging part was the mountainous parts to Fujairah ... joints and muscles get easily [sore]. But the scenery was beautiful,” he added.
The event targeted to raise Dh777,000 donations for the Al Jalila Foundation to help children get walk again by giving them artificial limbs. Official figures on the total donations received were unavailable at the time of going to press. The charity run has so far helped five children in the UAE who need long-term care.
Dr Abdul Kareem Sultan Al Olama, CEO of Al Jalila Foundation, lauded the efforts of the runners “for using their exceptional sporting endeavour to raise funds for a good cause.”
Full-distance runner Ali, who finished first in all the daily ultra-marathons with a record of 55 hours in total, said: “My main motivation was the cause behind it. The best part is everything [donations] will go to the kids.”
Mullenger, who finished second for 63 hours, and her husband Constable, who finished in 68 hours and 50 minutes, agreed.
A special National Day 10km run was held for the final leg in which 44 runners took part.