Press Release – www.sella.co.nz Ever thought of running the length of New Zealand In 2009 New Zealand Army Sergeant Alexander McKenzie has done the
equivalent four times already and has no plans to stop just yet. Running any distance to represent New Zealand Ever thought of running the length of New Zealand In 2009 New Zealand Army Sergeant Alexander McKenzie has done the equivalent four times already and has no plans to stop just yet. McKenzie has run more than 7000 kilometres this year as he trains to be one of the first New Zealand representatives at the 24 Hour Ultra Distance Commonwealth Running Championships at the inaugural event in Keswick, England in September. McKenzie is one of only three athletes and the only male who has been picked to represent New Zealand. Running up to 35 kilometres per day for training McKenzie has found a novel and inspirational way to train – do it for charity. Recently he featured in the ‘Big Night In’ Telethon where he ran over 200 kilometres in 22 hours on a treadmill. “It was pretty crazy, the treadmill faced out into a path where all the BNI spectators were streaming past from right to left. It started to feel like I was on a ship and made balancing pretty hard,†says McKenzie.
This is not the first time McKenzie has used his intensive sport for good – earlier this year he completed a base-to-base run to raise funds for CanTeen, a charity close to his heart as his nephew was diagnosed with cancer early last year.