Former Dunedin man Malcolm Anderson (47) completes his goal
of finishing 10 marathons in 10 days at Lake Windermere,
England. Photo supplied.
A former Dunedin man joined an exclusive club last month
when he completed 10 marathons in 10 days.
Malcolm Anderson (47) became one of only 15 people in the
world to achieve the feat, not a bad effort, considering he
took up running only after visiting his home town in January
2006.
Born and raised in Dunedin, Anderson attended Kings High
School before studying geography at the University of Otago.
Accepted into a Masters programme at Carleton University in
Ottawa, he has lived in Canada ever since, but it was a trip
back to Dunedin that inspired him to run.
Returning for three weeks, Anderson decided to get back into
shape by running from St Clair to St Kilda.
"It showed in a very dramatic way just how out of shape I
was.
"But I stuck at it and kept going back each day to run some
more, and was able to build up to longer times while in
Dunedin."
Worried about an old cartilage injury, he found his leg felt
better the more he ran and "I was really enjoying getting out
there, losing weight, getting fitter and feeling better about
myself".
Completing his first marathon in November 2006, he has now
completed 20 in total, including a 90km ultramarathon in
South Africa last year.
"I've surprised myself in lots of ways with marathon running,
and it's now hard to imagine not having running in my life."
Keen for a challenge, Anderson decided to join 10 other
runners in running 10 marathons in 10 days around Lake
Windermere, England.
The Brathay Trust 10 in 10 Challenge is a charity event with
participants running to raise money for disadvantaged
children in the United Kingdom.
Starting each race at 9am, the 42km course took Anderson up
to five hours to complete with the most difficult marathon
occurring on day five, when he experienced a piercing pain
down his right leg.
"But I got through that day and got some much needed physio.
It was a clear reminder of how easily such a thing could
happen and how easy it could be to having to pull out of the
race."
On the final day, the runners were joined by 1000 fellow
marathoners as locals cheered them on to finish.
After spending 45hr running over the 10-day period, Anderson
said he "feels great".
Other than some concern about developing deep vein thrombosis
on his return to Canada, "I was fortunate only to have the
general aches and pains, with tired muscles, blisters,
bruised toenails.
It could have been much worse."
Despite the pain it was all worth it, he said.
"Only 15 people in the world have run 10 marathons in 10
days, so I feel quite proud to be one of those 15."
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