When Jetts Fitness announced dates for their annual 24-hour Treadathon fundraiser for Kidney Kids NZ, former Otumoetai College student Ethan Inglis thought it was something he could get involved in.
But Inglis' idea of involved stretched way beyond a few kilometres plugging away on a treadmill, with the 18-year-old fitnessfanatic this week readying himself to jump on the conveyor belt for the entire 24 hours.
Jetts Bethlehem will stage their annual Treadathon starting at 10am on Thursday, with other members of the gym walking or running continuously alongside Inglis for 24 hours. Jetts Tauranga will also be staging the day/night fundraiser, with all money raised nationally going directly to the charity Kidney Kids New Zealand to purchase a haemodialysis unit at Auckland's Starship Hospital.
Inglis said the idea of taking part grabbed him, but going the whole hog grabbed him more.
"I knew Jetts did a 24-hour treadmill walk and I looked at it and decided I might as well do something crazy and go the whole way. It's for a good cause."
Members pay $5 for the privilege, with the option of gaining sponsors as well for each block of time or distance completed. Inglis was planning on making his fundraising/sponsorship push over the weekend and had a specific distance in mind.
"I'm hoping to cover about 100km in the 24 hours but mostly I'm wanting to finish, which I'm pretty confident I will. I jumped on the treadmill the other day set at 5km/h and it was a pretty easy pace, but holding it for 24 hours could be an interesting prospect."
Angling at a career in the police force, Inglis is a former representative rower who has turned to cycling and considers himself "generally pretty fit".
He'll be allowed off the treadmill for toilet stops and will have a meal break every four hours for a few minutes; otherwise it's non-stop.
Boredom looms as a potential Achilles heel.
"There's a TV on the treadmill, as well as on the wall opposite, so I'll do plenty of that, although lunchtime when all the infomercials are on could be fairly crap. If I get too bored I might have to crank up the treadmill [pace] a bit or maybe try an incline.
"With the help of caffeine and plenty of food I'm telling myself I'll make it, although I'm not sure I'll be a pretty sight at the end."
