Harry Sanders and Albie Roebeck are running 100km to raise money for charity 'Ballsy'. Video / Dean Purcell
Two Auckland men are gearing up for a second attempt at reaching 100km by running laps of Piha and Pāpāmoa Beach for kids missing out on sport because of financial hardship.
Former school teacher Harry Sanders, who now works for the Blues Rugby Charitable Trust, said kids were oftenunable to join club sports because of financial difficulties that would cause them to be “ashamed” and “shy away” from their goals.
“A lot of them don’t have the opportunity to go and play club sport as the fees come into play or they haven’t got boots or shin pads,” Sanders said.
“Seeing them shy away from wanting to do sports because they can’t afford it is sad.”
The pair started the 100km beach run during “thunder and lightning strikes” and severe weather warnings.
Roebeck had been hospitalised a week before with illness but still gave it his best shot, resulting in both men having to cut the attempt short after it became too much.
“Since then, it’s been on both our minds,” Sanders said.
“You kind of just have to dig into your dark times to get through it.”
A Givealittle page has been set up for the run with the funds going towards the charity Ballsy, which was founded by Rob Gaitau and will use the money to pay for children’s sports fees.
Roebeck works in the Royal New Zealand Navy and with at-risk youth.
He will start tackling the gruelling distance at the same time as Sanders but on a different stretch of coastline – Pāpāmoa Beach.
In preparation, Sanders recently ran 180 laps around a stadium to try to get his mind used to the repetitive scenery of Piha’s beach.
