The Coast to Coast is about as gruelling as it gets.
But Alex Grogan is making it even harder – by competing in gumboots.
“I don’t think I’ll be setting any land-speed records, that’s for sure. I’m doing it to complete, not compete,” said the tradie from West Melton.
Grogan, 30, will compete in the two-day event which stared at Kumara on Friday morning and will end at New Brighton beach on Saturday.
He isn’t allowed to wear gumboots during the kayak leg on the Waimakariri River for safety reasons, but will on the run and cycle – which will be painful enough.
Grogan is on a mission to raise awareness and money for mental health after he lost a close friend to suicide about 11 years ago. He said it was a big wake up call.
So when he made the Coast to Coast field he set up a Givealittle page, which aims to raise $100 for every kilometre of the 243km race.
The money raised will go to comedian Mike King’s charity I Am Hope.
Grogan has now passed his target of $24,300, raising more than $25,780 as of 8am on Friday.
“It’s something I think is just such a worthy cause and I’m really keen to throw my weight behind it, take a bit of suffering for a couple of days to help as many young people as we can,” said Grogan.
- By Geoff Sloan
- Public Interest Journalism funded through NZ On Air
