Running is not for the fainthearted. Nor is running 100km. But a group of Napier Boys’ High School prefects braved the course all for a worthy cause.
Their efforts saw them come first place in this year’s Hawke’s Bay Hundy – a 100km team relay that supports Mental Health in the Emergency Services and raises funds for STAROS.
The 14 boys ended the day with a time of six-hours-and-forty-five-minutes, 11 minutes ahead of second place. They also banked $400 for the Hawke’s Bay trust.
Prefect Matt Allan said he thought they would be in with a “good chance” but did not expect to come first.
However, as they were ahead of the pack early on, the marshals “weren’t set up” so they were sent the wrong way three times on the course.
“So to win it we were super shocked because we thought we were going to come in last after the day.”
It is the first time students from the school have participated in the event. Matt said he originally had the idea after hearing it on the radio.
“Mum and dad suggested it to me, and I thought it would actually be a cool idea to do, so got the prefects on board and we ended up getting a team together.”
The team included 11 prefects, one year 13 student, and two future prefects currently in year 12. The race began at the Bayview Fire Station at 5am and finished at the Hastings Fire Station. Each team member ran one leg each ranging from 5-10km in distance.
While they did not necessarily train for the event, having some of the school’s top runners in the team helped considerably. They had also just finished the winter sports season.
But to be able to support a good cause made the event “even better”, Matt says.
“This year, in our Prefect readings and meetings, we’ve talked about mental health and a lot and also one of the prefects who has left now was part of the emergency services too, so it was cool to get on board and support all of them.”
The event is in its second year and was the brainchild of Erin Tahau, Senior Firefighter at Hastings Station.
She says it was created to “inform the public that certain critical incidences that first responders attend can affect our mental health.”
“I thought there was a need for an event like this in HB, and to use it to highlight the issues that first responders experience was a win win,” she said.
The event covers the Mental Health Foundation’s ‘Five Ways to Wellbeing’; connect, give, take notice, keep learning and be active.
Tahau said the event helped people connect as teams required between four to 14 participants. “This event forces participants to create a team, train together and help each other on the day to get through the 100km’s.”
The fundraising section of the event fulfils the second ‘way to wellbeing’, which is ‘give’, and the running component means each participant is ‘active’.
She said runners are also exposed to some beautiful scenery and views that Hawke’s Bay has to offer. “It’s hard to not take notice and appreciate our region and be grateful for the place we call home.”
As each team is made up of people with mixed abilities, from people who have never run this sort of distance before, to experienced runners, they not only “learn about their capabilities but also, about their region, and each other,” Tahau said.
Sixty-three teams competed this year raising more than $25,000.
For more information visit: www.hbhundy.nz
