LISA TAMATI TO RUN THE LENGTH OF NEW ZEALAND

On Saturday 31 October, New Plymouth-based ultra-distance runner Lisa Tamati will start running the length of New Zealand as part of her ‘Taranaki Engineering NZ Run 2009’ project, supporting CanTeen and Cure Kids. The route covers 2200 kilometres in 33 days and averages about 70 kilometres per day (around 10 hours of running each day).

Lisa will be leaving from Bluff at 6.00am on Saturday 31 October. Her route takes her up the east coast of the South Island, where she’ll board the Interislander ferry on Saturday 14 November at 6.25am. Lisa will run on a treadmill during the crossing over Cook Strait. She’ll then run up through New Plymouth (her home town) to Auckland airport, arriving there on 25 November. Lisa will fly to Kaitaia, drive to the tip of the North Island and then start running the final leg of the journey – Cape Reinga to Auckland. She’ll be arriving into Devonport on Thursday 3 December, where she’ll be met by a few well-known friends and supporters who will join her for the harbour crossing (by kayak) over to Auckland CBD, for the final leg of the run to the finish party (venue to be announced) around late-afternoon on Thursday 3 December.

Lisa says, “I’ve run Death Valley, what’s known as the ‘toughest race on earth’, but running the length of New Zealand in 33 days is the toughest challenge I’ve ever faced. I’m scared - I’m terrified, in fact - but this challenge is nothing compared with what the young Kiwis living with cancer face, whom I’ve recently met through CanTeen and Cure Kids. I’m so grateful for the support of all my sponsors and my wonderful team to make this lifelong dream happen. I’ll give it everything I have.”

Throughout her NZ Run, Lisa will be speaking at selected Paper Plus stores. Lisa has recently released Running Hot (published by Allen & Unwin), an autobiography about her life as an ultramarathon runner.
For information about the book or in-store events, please contact Abba Renshaw at Allen & Unwina , abbar@allenandunwin.com
To find out more about Lisa’s NZ Run, or to see when she’s running through your town, check out the website: www.nzrun.co.nz.

To read more about Lisa Tamati and her past achievements, please visit www.lisatamati.co.nz.